Act of Mercy
by GreatOne
Summary: Post "Sacrifice" AU. The remaining members of the Solo/Skywalker family meet up on a strange planet.
1. Chapter 1

I have run out of space at my website! So I will post this story here. All SW characters belong to LFL, and I don't make a penny off this. Yup. We all know that. Thanks to **Jedi-2B** for the beta! (but the first several chapters she didn't beta, so don't blame her if you see mistakes!)

**Act of Mercy, **post 'Sacrifice' AU

It was hard to find sanctuary these days for the occupants of the _Millennium Falcon_. They were fugitives on both Coruscant and Corellia, although for different reasons. Kashyyyk, a place that had always been home, was mostly destroyed. The surviving occupants didn't much care for any human bearing the last name of Solo, and they couldn't be blamed for that sentiment. Even this planet, Chandrila. Han felt uneasy, as if the specter of death were lurking around the nearest corner.

The Corellian was alone on his ship, and alone with his turbulent emotions. His wife, daughter, brother-in-law and nephew were gone 'Sith-hunting', as Ben said, before Luke hushed him. Those closest to him were trying to kill his eldest son, and Han had given his blessings to do just that. Years ago, before the Vong, this would have been unthinkable. Jacen had always been such a gentle soul, before his capture and torture. Before his mind had been twisted and warped by Vergere, a creature Han had actually saved from death. If he could only have foreseen what his benevolent actions would bring on his family….

Han shook his head in disgust, then reached for the pot of kaffe and poured himself another strong cupful. He wasn't a Jedi, and it seemed obvious to him that even a Jedi Master couldn't predict the future with any degree of accuracy. One son long dead, another about to die at the hands of those that once loved him. He'd once told Leia that Jacen died during the Vong war, just like Anakin, but that wasn't entirely true. Both Leia and Han had been overjoyed when Jacen had returned from the 'dead'. Even an emotionally damaged son was better than no son at all, Han had thought at the time.

No one could have predicted the extent Jacen had been twisted and destroyed by the Vong and by Vergere. The kind boy had vanished, and the man that had slowly emerged from the dust and debris was cunning and cruel. Yet, somehow, Jacen had fathered a child amidst all that deceit. Allana was beautiful and bright, and Han wondered how she would be affected by who and what her father had become. Would she turn out like Luke and Leia, stronger because of her parentage? Or would the Skywalker curse follow her, or eventually her children?

If thinking about Jacen made Han feel old, thinking about his granddaughter – _granddaughter!_ – made him feel ancient. So old, in fact, he suddenly decided he needed to sleep. Only in the nothingness that sleep brought could Han find a tiny bit of peace.

That peace was short-lived. Han was shaken awake, and found himself staring up into the bloodied and terror-stricken face of his son.

Han sat up, barely able to believe his eyes. "Jacen?"

"Dad!" Jacen grated out. "You've got to help me…." The younger Solo dropped to his knees, unable to continue to stand under his own strength.

Without thinking, Han reached down and grasped his son's arm, helping him to the cot. "How did you get here?"

"They were all trying to kill me," Jacen whispered. "My entire family."

Han felt his blood chill. "What did you do, Jacen? Did you …." Han couldn't finish his sentence; he could barely finish the thought in his mind.

"They're all okay, Dad," Jacen said, his voice hoarse. "I only used my lightsaber to defend myself. Then I managed to escape by stealing Jaina's X-Wing."

The former smuggler gazed down dispassionately at his son, noting the various bruises and burns that were obviously caused by contact with lightsabers. "How did you know where I was?" He tried not to think about the consequences of Jacen locating him.

Jacen gave a small smile. "The coordinates were in Jaina's ship. I don't think it occurred to her that I'd ever steal it." His smile faded. "Did you hear about Tenel Ka?"

"I assume you're talking about the Hapan Revolution?"

"She's dead at the hands of her own people, and it's all my fault. I loved her, Dad."

Han stepped back, moving away from Jacen. "I don't think you remember the meaning of the word."

"You want me dead, too."

"My son died a long time ago," Han responded sadly. "I'm not sure what's replaced him, but whatever you've become, you're not Jacen anymore."

To Han's utter shock, a tear ran down Jacen's cheek, dripping on the pillow where his blood-matted head rested. "I _did _die. They made sure of that."

"They?"

"The Sith. Vergere." Jacen forced his eyes open, and Han noted they were a rich brown color, not the sickly yellow hue of the Sith known as Darth Caedus. "They were using me, and I was too blind, too stupid, to see it, until it was too late."

"You killed Mara," Han snapped. "Do you have any idea what that's done to Luke? To Ben?"

"At the time, I didn't care. But if it matters, Aunt Mara came looking for me, intending to kill me. It was self-defense."

"Really?" Han said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "Was it self-defense when you tried blasting the _Falcon_ into space dust?"

"No," Jacen replied, almost too softly for Han to hear. "I'm sorry."

Han couldn't stop himself from shouting. "You're SORRY? You've got to be kidding me! You think you can erase everything you've done just by saying 'sorry'? You've killed millions! You've destroyed entire planets! Saying you're sorry is pointless."

"I don't know what else to do," Jacen replied. "All I wanted was for the galaxy to finally be at peace."

The older man reached down, uncaring that his son could kill him without effort, and jerked Jacen up by his tattered shirt. "Peace? Since when does war bring peace?"

"The Rebellion thought it would," Jacen said evenly, looking into his father's eyes. "_General_ Solo."

"Don't you _dare _compare the Rebellion to what you did."

"Why not?" Jacen asked. "All wars bring death to innocent bystanders. Don't tell me you never caused collateral damages, or that you or Uncle Luke never caused the death of an innocent by your involvement with the Rebellion."

Han pushed Jacen away, repelled by the close proximity to his own child. "You make me sick."

"Just like Anakin made you sick by letting Chewie die?"

"No! Not like that. This is nothing like that."

Jacen sighed. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm not perfect. You're not perfect. Even Anakin wasn't perfect."

"Why did you come here?" Han asked bitterly.

"You know why."

"You'll have to kill me first."

Jacen almost laughed at his father's words, but the amusement was quickly replaced with a somber expression. "You still don't believe me. I'm done with killing."

"I'd have to guess your mother and uncle didn't take you at your word, either," Han responded.

"That's true," Jacen admitted. "I'm not sure I can ever convince them I've seen the light."

"I'm not taking you at your word, and I'm not taking you to Allana."

"You don't have to take me to her. Just tell me where she's at, so I can go get her," Jacen said, his tone pleading. "Dad… please. She's all I have left. I'm the only one that can protect her."

"That's a joke," Han shot back. "Your version of protecting people leaves a lot to be desired."

The younger man jumped up from the cot, pushing his father roughly against the cabin's wall. The force of the impact knocked Han's breath away. "You can't protect her. Neither can Mom, or Uncle Luke. The entire Hapan population wants her dead, and they've sent out bounty hunters to accomplish that!" Jacen released his grip on Han's shirt. "Then I've got the Sith that twisted me for their own agenda out looking. They know about Allana, and since I've renounced the Dark Side, they intend to take their revenge out on her. That's not even taking into account your buddy, Fett. If he can't get me, do you think he won't go after my daughter? He'd consider it poetic justice. I've got to take her somewhere safe, before it's too late."

Han narrowed his eyes at Jacen. "Fett isn't my buddy, and I'm not the one that murdered his daughter. I'd say you pretty much baked your own crissle buns, kid."

"I agree," Jacen said, nodding. "If they were just out to get me, I could deal with them. But this isn't about just me anymore, Dad. This is Allana's life at stake. Your grandchild!"

"Just where do you intend to find refuge, Jacen?" Han asked out of curiosity. "You've pretty much alienated the entire galaxy from one side to the other."

"The Unknown Regions," Jacen answered truthfully. "I've already been there, during my wanderings to understand the Force. There are places no one from this galaxy has ever ventured, and Allana would be safe."

"Safe, but totally isolated from everyone but you," Han pointed out. "That's not the type of life I'd want for my child, or for my grandchild."

"There are humans living where I want to take her," Jacen informed Han. "They're backwards by our standards, but she won't be alone."

"Backwards? How backwards?"

"They haven't developed space-travel, and they believe they are the only intelligent life in the galaxy. Plus, the planet is divided into various political and religious groups that don't exactly get along."

"Sounds like paradise," Han said sarcastically.

"It's not any different than it is here," Jacen argued insistently. "Just on a smaller scale. But the best part about the place is that I can blend in, and no one knows me."

Han felt himself waver. "I still don't know…"

"Do you want Allana to die at the hands of my enemies?" Jacen asked sharply. "Because if you don't let me find her, that's exactly what's going to happen – eventually." Jacen could sense his father's faltering resolve, and resisted using the Force to nudge him along. Doing so would quickly cause the exact opposite result that he desired. Han Solo might not be Force-sensitive, but he was acutely aware of anyone using the Force to sway his mind.

As if Han could read Jacen's mind, he asked his son, "Why don't you just use the Force to pry the information from me?"

"That would be using the Dark Side," Jacen responded quickly. "I'm not a Sith anymore, so I wouldn't do that."

The Corellian suddenly made a decision that he knew would infuriate his family, and might even destroy his marriage. "I'm not gonna tell you where Allana is hiding, but I'll take you to her."

Jacen grinned in triumph. "Thanks, Dad. You know we'll have to hurry, because Mom and everyone is following me."

"That's not all," Han continued. "I'm going with you and Allana to this planet, too."

The cocky grin faded. "What? You can't be serious! What's the point of hiding there, if you know where I'm located?"

Han stuck his finger in Jacen's face. "You're expecting me to trust and believe everything you're telling me, so I expect some return trust here, Jacen. You want Allana, but you won't get Allana without making some concessions. And don't you ever forget that I'm not doing this for you, but for Allana." Even as he said those words, he knew in his heart that wasn't exactly the truth. Jacen was still his last living son, and no matter what had happened, he simply could not turn off his love like a switch. Both Luke and Leia had forgiven a father they'd never known except as an enemy, for atrocities just as evil as Jacen's sins. How could Han not give his son – a son he'd cradled in his arms as an infant, a son he'd read "The Lost Little Bantha Cub" a hundred times, a son he watched grow from a gangly teenager into a man – a second chance? A third, or fourth chance, even? The galaxy would not forgive, but Han could do nothing less.

"Aren't you worried about what Mom will have to say about this?"

"Yes, but I'd prefer not to think about that right now. Let's deal with one problem at a time." Han sighed and headed toward the cockpit. He had a plan in his mind, but it probably had to be the worst plan he'd ever devised in his entire life.


	2. Chapter 2

Beluzant was a small, inhabitable moon orbiting around a huge, dusty orb known only as B-14. The planet was too hot to support most sentients, and the atmosphere too thin to breathe. Deep underneath the hot rock of B-14 was a treasure trove of mineral wealth, and those that had enough resources to send expensive, air-controlled mine-trollers down to the surface made millions in return for those investments. Due to the extreme heat, the miners that ran the trollers could not stay on the planet for very long, and if not for Beluzant, they would have been forced to live their lives inside space-stations.

Winter was currently living on Beluzant, hiding among the 'trolls', as the miners called themselves. The white-haired Alderaanian had credentials that said she was the wife of a major investor, and that she was overseeing her husband's venture. Allana was pretending to be her grandchild, not quite old enough to understand the 'game' they were playing, only that Grandmother Leia had explained to Allana that Winter was doing some important research, and that Allana needed to help Winter. Telling Allana that her father was dangerous and she needed to be kept away from him would only frighten and confuse her, since Jacen had never given Allana a reason to fear him.

Han took a deep breath, and rang the buzzer. It had occurred several times to the Corellian that perhaps he should send some message to Leia. But what would he say? That, after every evil, terrible event Jacen had foisted upon the galaxy, he was helping his son, simply because Jacen had told him he was sorry for what he'd done? She wouldn't understand. Truth be told, Han didn't understand what he was doing, either. During the entire trip to Beluzant, Han had waited for the 'bad' Jacen to reappear and strike him dead with his lightsaber, but it hadn't happened. After allowing his father to treat his wounds with bacta gel, Jacen had simply gone into a deep, healing trance. By the time they'd exited hyperspace, Han was amazed to see that his son was completely healed from the burns and bruises.

They agreed that it would make more sense for Han to go pick up Allana. Winter would undoubtedly put up a struggle to give up the girl to Jacen, and Jacen was steadfast in his claim that he would not want to accidentally cause Winter any harm.

He could plainly see the surprise on Winter's face when she answered the door. "Han?"

"Hi, Winter," Han said, trying to be casual. "Is Allana here?"

Winter frowned. "Of course she is."

The Corellian wanted to kick himself. "Yeah, I guess she would be. Leia asked me to come pick her up. I guess this means you don't have to stay on this boring moon any longer. Tycho will sure be glad to see you. Right?"

"I'm certain he will," Winter replied in her refined voice. "Did they accomplish their mission?"

"Mission?"

"Ki…capturing Darth Caedus?"

"Uh, yeah. They caught him, and he's all locked up with those ysalamiri things keeping him under control. Leia really wants me to hurry back, so if you can go get Allana, I'd really appreciate it."

She nodded, her gray eyes conveying more than a bit of suspicion. Then she turned and went to retrieve Allana, who came rushing out and grabbed Han in a tight hug.

"Grandpa!"

Han wasn't certain he'd ever get used to hearing himself referred to as a 'grandpa', but he loved this child with his entire being. "Allana. You ready to go for a wild ride on the famous _Millennium Falcon_?"

Allana made a face. "The _Falcon_ is sort of smelly."

"It is not!"

Winter laughed and handed the Corellian Allana's satchel. "She's right, you know. It _is_ sort of smelly."

* * *

When the _Jade Shadow_ arrived on Chandrila, the four occupants were more than a little worried. Leia had been attempting to contact Han, but her attempts had been met with silence. Until a few moments ago, she had been holding on to the hope that the _Falcon's _aged communication circuits were acting up. Now, when the landing pad where they'd left Han came into view, her worst fears were realized. "He's gone."

"That could mean anything," Jaina said, trying to sound upbeat. "Maybe he needed to make an emergency run for someone. It's possible."

"Except for that," Ben stated, pointing out of the viewport at Jaina's StealthX fighter, the one Jacen had used to escape his fate.

Leia gasped, and quickly put her hand over her mouth. "Han…"

"Dad's okay," Jaina said, not sure if she believed her own words. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have left the return coordinates in my ship."

"You couldn't have known what would happen," Luke pointed out. "But if Jacen came here, he had to have a reason."

"I think the reason is obvious," Leia said. "He wants Allana, and he's going to use any method he can to find her. Even if it means torturing his own father."

"He's got a good head-start on us," Luke replied. "Still, if Han can hold out, even for a little while, we might have a chance to intercept them before it's too late."

Too late to save Allana from being kidnapped by Jacen, or too late to save her father's life, Jaina wondered. She didn't speak the question aloud, knowing that the others were thinking the same thing.

Leia quickly keyed in Winter's communication code. A few moments later, the woman answered. _"Leia? I'm glad to hear everything went according to plan."_

Confused, Leia asked, "What went according to plan?"

"_The plan to capture Jacen. Han was just here no more than an hour ago to pick up Allana. He said you were successful."_

"Winter… Jacen escaped, and our plan was unsuccessful," Leia responded, her face paling. "Are you telling me you don't have Allana?"

"It was Jacen," Ben added firmly. "He was using the Force to make himself look like Uncle Han."

"_Oh, no…"_

"Mom," Jaina said, her brown eyes watering. She was no longer trying to appear optimistic. "Do you think Jacen killed Dad?"

Without asking, Luke turned the _Shadow_, and keyed in the coordinates to Beluzant, knowing in his heart they would arrive too late to find Allana.

* * *

The _Millennium Falcon_ stopped just at the edge of the Unknown Galaxy, tiny silver speck hovering in the blackness of space. Behind them lie the familiar systems – Corellia, Coruscant, Tatooine, and thousands more. Many systems had been destroyed by the Empire, then the Vong, then finally Jacen's actions. Would there finally be peace now that Jacen was leaving? Han thought it seemed unlikely. Sooner or later, someone else would start yet another reign of terror and destruction. It was an endless cycle, and Han was tired of watching it, of being unable to give his family the kind of life he'd always desired.

Jacen looked at his father from the co-pilot's seat. "I've entered the coordinates. At full speed, we should arrive in about twenty standard days."

"That's a long time," Han commented. Most jumps in hyperspace travel lasted two or three days. Long trips, from one side of the known galaxy to the other, might last up to a standard week. "This system must be far away."

"It _is_ far away," Jacen said. "That's the point."

"Do they have lots of animals where we're going?" Allana piped up from the navigator's seat. She had been told by Jacen they were going on a vacation, and had no idea her father intended this trip to last a lifetime. "I love animals."

"I used to, too," Jacen said, sounding wistful. "Yes, they have lots of animals, Allana."

Han smiled at his granddaughter. Jacen had – so far – kept his word about staying away from the darkside. In fact, he had not used the Force at all, as far as Han could tell. It was a bit like the time Jacen had shunned using the Force before Anakin's death. In hindsight, Han wished he'd encouraged Jacen to follow that Force-less path. Maybe then things would have been different. "Are you all ready for the Unknown Regions?" he asked Allana.

"Is it gonna be scary?"

"It might be," Han admitted. "But you've got me along to protect you."

"Okay, then. I trust you, grandpa."

Han felt his stomach twist. Trust. It was such a small word, with such large implications. You could trust someone you loved, and yet they could still betray you. You could _not_ trust a stranger, and that stranger might end up saving your life. The Corellian reached his hand down to the left, and flipped a tiny switch, his thoughts swirling around a certain dark-haired Princess. She would be furious at him, and yet Han was willing to risk her wrath to save his son from darkness and his granddaughter from death. He could only hope that some day in the future, she'd see his intentions for what they truly were, and learn to forgive him.

Then he pulled the lever and the stars blurred as the _Falcon_ lurched forward into the Unknown.

* * *

Beluzant

"It's not your fault, Winter," Leia said, trying to calm her upset friend. "I wouldn't have expected you to fight Han."

"I'm _certain_ it was Han," Winter said, shaking her head. "Even Darth Caedus couldn't match the way he walked and his voice tone exactly. I know what Han sounds like."

Luke nodded. "Before we came here, I checked the Flight Controller. The _Falcon_ headed out toward twenty-nine-oh-thirteen. I'm certain they could have changed directions, later."

"Let me see if Ben and Jaina have found anything." Leia raised the comlink to her lips and contacted her daughter.

A female's voice came over the small speaker. _"Mom? Ben and I've checked out the docking bay's security cams. We could see Dad and Allana heading up the ramp, and it sure looks like Jacen is standing at the top of the ramp. We're heading back inside the Shadow right now."_

"_He must have Uncle Han under some type of mind-control," _Ben injected into the conversation. _"Or maybe he has a bomb strapped around him, and Darth Caedus is threatening to blow him up if he doesn't obey."_

"Ben!" Luke chastised, worried about Leia reaction. "Please keep your theories to yourself."

"_Sorry."_

"_Wait a second,"_ Jaina said, sounding excited. _"Mom?"_

"I'm listening."

"_I see an incoming message on the communication panel flashing. It's coming in under the Falcon's secure code."_

Leia felt a rush of relief. "Han must have managed to sneak a message out, without Jacen knowing."

"Let's go find out what he sent," Luke said, taking his sister by her arm. He glanced over at Winter. "Is Tycho coming to pick you up?"

"He'll be here tomorrow."

Leia broke away from her brother's grasp, and gave her old friend a hug. "Take care, Winter. Thank you for watching Allana for me."

"I'm sorry for the way it ended."

The Princess swallowed hard at hearingWinter say those words - _The way it ended. _As they left the apartment, Leia had the strongest feeling she would never see Winter again.

* * *

Onboard the _Jade Shadow_, Leia stood holding a small piece of flimsy. Luke had carefully written out the numbers, and had double checked his note with the message from the _Falcon_.

"This hardly makes sense," Leia stated. "It can't be coordinates."

"It can't be anything else," Luke argued. "That was the entire message – a series of numbers."

"It must have been all Dad could take the time to transmit," Jaina said. "If he would have taken the time to send us a verbal message, Jacen might have caught him."

"And then he would've been breathing vacuum," Ben added.

"Ben!" Luke said firmly.

"I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking," Ben responded, a bit petulantly. "Darth Caedus has already killed members of his own family."

"Your aunt is worried enough without you adding to her concerns," Luke said, getting annoyed at his teenage son.

"That's okay, Luke," Leia said distractedly. "I remember how outspoken my children were when they were teenagers."

"I never was outspoken," Jaina argued. "Anakin was the outspoken one."

Leia gave a brief smile. "If you say so." The former Princess turned to Luke. "What I'm reading here is that Han and Jacen are heading directly into the Unknown Regions."

"Directly, and deeply," Luke agreed. "I'd have to guess Han wants us to follow."

"Uncle Han needs us to rescue him," Ben said, pleased with his deduction. "He couldn't take on a Sith alone, so he had to obey Caedus and take Allana from Winter, or Caedus would've killed him _and_ Winter. I've spent enough time with Jacen to know how he thinks."

"The only problem with that scenario is why the Unknown Regions?" Jaina questioned. "It's not like Darth Caedus to run away."

"Maybe that's the location where other Sith are hiding, and he's going to enlist their help in fighting us," Ben mused. "We almost had him beat back on Corellia. If your ship wouldn't have been left right where he could jump in, we would've had him."

"Are you blaming me?" Jaina shot out, putting her hands on her hips.

"No one is blaming you, Jaina," Luke said, glaring at Ben.

"Ben's right about one thing," Leia stated. "If Han wants us to follow him, we're going to follow him."

"Darth Caedus can't escape us, even if he runs to infinity and way beyond all chartered space," Ben said. "He's gonna pay for what he did."

"So I take it we're going to infinity?" Luke questioned.

"And way beyond, apparently," Leia answered.

* * *

Twenty days later….

The pretty blue and white planet spun below the _Millennium Falcon_. Four large land masses, two in the northern hemisphere, and two in the southern hemisphere, divided the planet. From this vantage point, Han could see the continents might have fit loosely together. At one time in the distant past, the land may have been one large piece, before time and nature slowly ripped the sections apart, allowing the currents to slowly drift them away from each other. Smaller land masses dotted the oceans, and two white polar caps indicated the coldest regions. "It's very pretty," Han finally commented. "Now where do we land? My sensors aren't picking up any type of signals from the surface."

"No," Jacen said. "They aren't that advanced." He pointed to a small island in the northern hemisphere, not far off the shore from the largest land mass. "We'll be able to fit in the best right there. I think, once upon a time, this planet had a more advanced culture located a little to the south and east, but it's gone now. Anyway, we look like them, and when I was here last time I learned to understand their language. It's a strange dialect of Basic, altered it over centuries of isolation."

"Will I understand them?"

"It might be a bit hard at first, but you'll catch on pretty quickly. Anyway, they're wary of strangers, so be careful how you behave around them. "

Han looked hurt. "Are you accusing me of being strange?"

Behind him, Allana laughed. "Behave, Grandpa."

"I always behave," Han replied.

"Also," Jacen added carefully as he glanced back at his daughter. "We'll need to land far away from any settlements. If they see us coming out of the sky in a metal object, they might try to harm us. At least it's nighttime right now, so as long as we turn off most of the landing lights, we should be unnoticed. Plus, I'll cover us using the Force."

"Are these bad people?"

"Anywhere you go there will always be some bad people, Allana," Jacen said hurriedly, trying to reassure her.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Han muttered under his breath as he guided the _Falcon_ down.

As Jacen predicted, no one came rushing toward the ship, and both men spent the early morning hours camouflaging the _Falcon_ with the local plants while Allana took the opportunity to get some rest.

Then, as the sun rose, the three headed out over the wooded green hills. They hadn't gotten very far when they heard the sound of thundering hoofs, and large creatures galloped toward them. As they approached, Han could clearly see humanoids were mounted astride the animals, and both the humanoids and animals were concealed in some type of armor covering their faces and torsos.

But what worried Han the most were the very sharp poles that were pointed directly at them.


	3. Chapter 3

Han acted on years of instinct, quickly pushing Allana behind him and drawing his blaster as the six attackers pulled up their beasts a short distance away.

"Dad, we'd better act friendly," Jacen whispered out of the side of his mouth.

One of the humanoids drove his mount closer, then reached up and pushed back his silver face-plate. Han could see that Jacen had been correct – these were humans, at least as far as he could tell. The animals the men were riding appeared to closely resemble an arqet, a vicious predator from the Agarix Sector. He sincerely hoped these creatures weren't as nasty as arqets, or they would be in big trouble. "Put your sticks away," Han ordered the man. "My blaster can make short work of that thing, unless it shoots lasers."

"Verily, I declare," the man replied. "Thou makest little sense. What strange object dost thou holdeth in thy hand?"

"Huh?"

The other five men had raised their face-masks by this time, and looked at each other in puzzlement. "In what tongues dost this stranger speaketh?"

"Let me handle this," Jacen mumbled. Then he cleared his throat, and spoke in an authoritative voice. "To whom doth I have the pleasure to speaketh?"

"My given title is Sir Lanval, sir. What title dost thou be given?"

"Knight Jacen of Coruscant, and this is my father, Han Solo of Corellia," Jacen said, bowing. "And my fair daughter, Allana of Hapes."

"Are you sure you should be telling them where we're from?" Han whispered worriedly.

Jacen ignored his father. "We three be travelers and seek out thy King."

Sir Lanval looked startled. "King Arthur? How know ye of him?"

"Perchance this stranger be a spy, or worse - assassin, dispatched by yon evil sorceress, Morgana," another man asked.

"Morgana?" Han questioned. "Who's Morgana?"

"Speaketh not the evil witch's name!" Sir Lanval shouted. "Summon her, thou whilst!"

"Whilst?" Han repeated, scratching his head.

"Taketh these strangers to King Arthur, we whilst," Lanval decided after a long discussion among his men.

"Isn't that what we asked for in the first place?" Han asked Jacen.

The men raised their sharp poles at that command. "Prisoners of Camelot, ye three be! March onward, and prayeth for divine deliverance for thy blackhearted souls, whilst ye march. Perchance King Arthur shall decree thy bodies be dispatched without great pain."

"Are they threatening us?" Han asked, confused. "I get worried when I hear words like 'dispatched' and 'pain' used in the same sentence, even if I can't understand the rest of what he said."

"Just put your blaster away," Jacen instructed as he hoisted Allana up on his hip. "We don't want them to confiscate what we might need later."

"Speaketh not in wicked fey words," Knight Lanval ordered. "Thou shan't be allowed to cast spells to summon thy underworldly minions."

"What did he just say?" Han demanded.

"Shut up."

"I'm your father. You don't tell your father to shut up, even if you are a reformed Sith."

"No…. _he_ told _us_ to shut up."

"Oh. Well, that's better, then."

"I hafta go potty," Allana declared loudly.

"Why didn't you go before we left the ship?" Jacen asked, trying to be patient.

"I didn't need to go then. But _now_ I need to go."

"Hey," Jacen called out to their captors. "My child needs to go."

Lanval stopped, and looked down from his steed. "Go? Where doth thy faerie off-spring require yon goeth?"

"She needeth to, um, relieve her bladder… eth."

The man frowned. "I dost not understandeth ye."

"I thought you spoke these idiots' language," Han grumbled.

"Whom dost thou callest an idiot?" Lanval demanded hotly.

"Oh, sure_…that _word he understands," Han grumbled.

* * *

Onboard the _Jade Shadow_, following the _Falcon_ in the Unknown Regions

"Ben, we need to have a talk," Luke started out as he entered his son's room.

The teenager looked up at this father through his eyelashes, not raising his head from the pillow where he was resting. "I'm listening."

"When we get there… to wherever we're going… we are not going to kill Jacen, unless he forces us to kill him."

Ben sat up. "I can't believe you're falling for that line he handed us. He's NOT sorry, and he hasn't turned away from the darkside!"

"You don't know that."

"Once you start down the path of the darkside, forever will it dominate your destiny," Ben quoted his father's lessons.

"There are exceptions. My own father was an exception."

"Caedus is still a Sith. He was only telling us he's turned back to the light because he thought we had him trapped," Ben argued.

"He also said he loved Allana, and Tenel Ka," Luke pointed out gently. "A true Sith can't have love in his heart."

"Well, I loved Mom!" Ben cried out. "Jacen didn't care about that, did he?"

"Jacen was twisted by Vergere, and Luminya. They were both Sith, so it's probably not surprising that working together, they were able to warp his mind. Anakin Skywalker, your grandfather, was only corrupted by one Sith - Palpatine. If we don't forgive Jacen, we are no better than the Sith," Luke explained. "Once we arrive, I will take the time to determine if Jacen was lying, or if he's telling the truth about rejecting the darkside."

"If he was turned by two Sith, it also might mean it'll be twice as hard for him to turn back," Ben pointed out. "And what if you decide he's telling the truth? Then what?" His expression darkened. "You'll let him get away with all those murders?"

"No. Jacen will need to face the consequences for his actions," Luke replied. "And that will be one of the tests to determine his truthfulness; his willingness to accept responsibility. I hope you understand me, Ben. This is important, not only to our family, but for the future of the Jedi."

"Sure, Dad. I understand," Ben muttered, flopping back on the bed and turning his back to Luke.

* * *

"How much farther do we have to walk?" Allana complained loudly to her father.

Jacen sighed. In fact, Allana had not done any walking at all, since Jacen had been carrying her the entire hike. It was a good thing the Force was his ally, or his arm muscles would be seriously protesting by this time. "I'm sure it's not much further."

"Kest, I hope not," Han grumbled. "I'm too old to walk this far."

"You're not old, Grandpa," Allana said, giggling. "Gramma says you're 'well aged'. What does that mean?"

"It means I'm old," Han responded. He felt his heart give a tug at the mention of Leia, and he hoped his brief message to her made enough sense to allow her to follow. After all, what good was his big plan to reunite and reconcile his family if they never arrived? Of course, he'd have to somehow convince them – and Jacen – not to kill each other first. He'd figure that part out when the time came; inspiration was his specialty.

As they crossed over yet another high hill, an imposing gray edifice came into view, surrounded by a high wall built of stone.

"Is yon abode where King Arthur, um, abides?" Jacen questioned Sir Lanval.

"Do you know how stupid you sound?" Han questioned his son.

The knight stopped his horse, and nodded. "Drawest nigh to thy judgment, thou dost. Prayest ye that my King hast enjoyeth a peaceful repose."

"Does the King have cookies?" Allana wanted to know.

"Cookies? What wicked thing be 'cookies'?" Lanval asked, alarmed.

"Cookies aren't wicked," Han said, crossing his arms. "How much did you guys have to drink before you found us, anyway?"

"Cookies are like cake and crumpets," Jacen inserted hurriedly, before his father could make the Knights angry by insulting them.

"I hope they have milk," Allana stated firmly.

"Milk? Milk be truly a foul dram, unless thou be a wee one." Lanval scratched his chin as he considered. "Ale and grog be most common in Camelot."

"I could use some of that ale about now," Han mumbled.

As they trudged closer, Han could see there was a deep ditch surrounding the building, and the ditch was filled with water. On the other side of this dugout was a huge wooden door, and it appeared tightly locked. "This looks like a friendly place," Han said sarcastically. "How do we knock? Throw rocks?"

They stopped a few yards away from the ditch, and Lanval spoke to one of his men. "Raiseth thine trumpet, and signal that the King's loyal servants doth arriveth."

Han was about to ask what that meant, when the Knight pulled out some type of metal instrument, and placed it against his lips. A loud racket shrieked from the horn, and Allana covered her ears with her hands.

Then an even louder racket sounded, and Han and Jacen took a step back as they watched the huge door slowly lowering, the gears and chains rattling and groaning in protest of the vast weight. It thudded down on the ground, creating a wide bridge across the murky, water-filled channel.

Allana clapped in appreciation of the display. "That's a neat trick."

Knight Lanval seemed miffed. "Trickery hast naught to do with yon entrance opening. Move along, prisoners of Camelot, and attempt not to escapeth thy fate."

"If Jabba didn't scare me, what makes you think Arthur scares me?" Han asked. "I doubt your king has any sarlacc pits around here."

When they entered the walls, Han was surprised to see a small village rather than an interior of a castle. The village was very loud and crowded, with both bedraggled looking men and woman milling about, inspecting various booths where there were stacks of vegetables, and dead, skinned animals hung by their hind legs. There were also many live animals running around, both of the feathered and furred types. Several brightly dressed men wandered about, playing strange instruments and eagerly accepting coins for their efforts.

The knights dismounted, and several young men rushed forward. The knights allowed these men to take their animals away. Han noted that it appeared only knights wore metal armor, since most of the other humans were dressed in ragged clothing, although a few of the men and women appeared to be better dressed than most.

Allana looked offended as she side-stepped a pile of dung. "This place is very smelly. How did all those poor animals die? Why are they hanging out in the open like that?"

"Those dead animals are probably gonna be eaten for dinner," Han told Allana.

"Eat them?" Allana repeated loudly. "Yuck!"

"Quiet, sweetheart," Jacen told his child. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

A toothless woman smiled at Jacen, and waved her hand toward some dead creature that was covered with flying insects. "For such a handsome stranger as thee, I whilst makest thou a worthy trade for my wares."

"Uh, no thanks," Jacen muttered and hurried away, ignoring his father's snort of laughter.

They finally approached the large castle in the center of the courtyard, and the knights prodded their prisoners toward the center of the building. The rooms were enormous and quite chilly, and Allana complained that they smelled bad as well.

Lanval raised his hand, stopping the group. "Thou shalt abide thy time, whilst I consult King Arthur. Escapest not, or my underlings shall be forced to end thine lives."

Surrounded by wary knights, Han, Jacen and Allana waited for long minutes. Eventually they were ushered into a chamber, where a well-dressed man wearing a crown sat upon a throne.

"Judging by the fancy hat and big chair, I'd have to guess that's good old King Arthur, huh?" Han remarked. "I hope he's got a better personality than Palpatine."

"Dad, please," Jacen said. "Let me handle this."

"Go right ahead. I promise I won't interfere."

Jacen took one step forward and bowed. "King Arthur. It is a great privilege that thou hast agreed to greet such lowly visitors such as us."

"Lowly?" Han asked. "Speak for yourself, kid."

King Arthur looked annoyed. "What names be given thee, and from what village dost thou hail?"

"Knight Jacen, from Coruscant, at your service, great King," Jacen replied. "And my father is Han Solo of Corellia, and the child is my daughter, Allana of Hapes."

"That seems strange, indeed," King Arthur said. "Not only have I not heard of thine villages, but why dost thou all hailest from different realms?"

"We like to get around," Han explained.

"Dad!"

"I thought thou said his name was Han Solo," King Arthur said, appearing confused.

"Uh, yeah. Yes," Jacen said quickly. "Dad means Father where we're from."

"I see," Arthur said, looking befuddled.

Lanval stepped forward. "I have cause to believeth that these strangers are bedfellows with Morgana. Thou should dispatch them with great haste, my King."

"Wait a kriffin' second," Han protested. "I don't share my bed with anyone but my wife, and I don't appreciate what you're insinuating, pal."

"I shall determine their fate, not thee, Sir Lanval," King Arthur admonished his guard. "If they be associates with my sister, then proof I will require."

"Hey, he is a reasonable King," Han declared.

Arthur continued, "Please, step forward good friend Merlin, and give me counsel as to the course I should set."

A white-haired old man stepped out from behind the King's throne. He was stooped low, and wore purple robes and a large pointed cap. He gestured at Jacen with a gnarled finger. "That one a wizard be… dark or light I cannot attest, as his soul seems shrouded in duplicity. Test his character by sending them on a quest. If they should succeed, then allow them to live thou must."

"Then a quest thou shall have," Arthur declared. "But what shall test their mettle?"

"Have them bring you the head of Beast Glatisant," Merlin suggested coyly.

"Ah, that is a fine idea," Arthur said.

"The head of what?" Han asked, frowning. "A beast? How big is this thing?"

"What about my daughter?" Jacen questioned. "She's too young to go on a dangerous quest."

"This quest is dangerous?" Han asked. "I might be too old for quests…"

"Thine off-spring shall remain here, safe with my wife, Lady Guinevere," King Arthur said.

"Perhaps my father is too old," Jacen suggested.

"Hey! I resent that."

"You said it first!"

King Arthur cleared his throat and rapped his staff to get their attention. "Han Solo of Corellia, thou shall accompany thy off-spring, Knight Jacen of Coruscant. It is thy duty and right to prove thyself, as well. May the Lady of the Lake find favor with thy travels, and if thou be worthy, thou shall return victorious!"

* * *

Onboard the _Jade Shadow_, approaching an Unknown Planet

Sitting in the pilot's seat, Luke turned to his family. "Remember, don't reach out with the Force. If we do that, Jacen will be able to sense us."

"How will we know if they landed?" Ben asked his father. "Or where they landed?"

Leia answered from the co-pilot's chair. "A surface signal from the _Falcon _has already shown up on the panel." The Princess focused on the blue and green planet that had materialized in the viewport once they'd exited hyperspace moments earlier. "It's coming from that large island in the northern hemisphere."

"I don't see any advanced signals coming from anywhere else on the planet, other than the signal from Dad," Jaina added. "Nothing that would indicate they have electronic communications or propulsion systems."

"Can you imagine," Ben said, grinning. "This must be a real backwards place. I wonder why Darth Caedus wanted to come here. Probably to dazzle them with his fancy Force displays, and have them drop to their knees and worship him as a god. That'd be just like him."

"It never used to be like him," Leia said softly, remembering her sweet little boy, the one with the kindest heart of any of her children. That Jacen never would have hurt the smallest insect, and was always eager to share a silly joke.

Luke could sense Leia's pain, a deep wound that refused to heal. They were all hurting emotionally from the endless loss of loved ones. He worried most about his son, and what Mara's death and Jacen's betrayal had done to Ben heart and soul. Since Jacen had turned, what was there to ensure that Ben was safe from the darkside? What if Ben, unable to strike back at Jacen, decided to take out his burning need for revenge on Allana? Would Leia then find the need to hunt down Ben, just like Mara had gone after Jacen? And if Ben then killed Leia in battle, would Jaina or Han come after him? Would this cycle go on and on until there were no more Skywalkers or Solos left alive in the galaxy?

The Jedi Master shook his head in disgust. No, he decided. It had to end. Here and now. "We'll land next to _the Millennium Falcon_, and try to track them from that point." Luke looked pointedly at his only child. "And when we find them, we are not going to start a fight, and we will not turn on our lightsabers unless we need to defend ourselves. Do I make myself clear?"

"How are we supposed to kill Caedus?" Ben asked bitterly. "Push a tree over on his head?"

"We're Jedi," Luke replied. "I'm done with killing. If Darth Vader could come back to the lightside after twenty years and countless evil deeds, I refuse to believe Jacen can't be turned back. The Force has brought us all here for a reason."

"The Force? This is all Caedus's idea," Ben argued.

"Jacen doesn't know we're here," Jaina replied. "Sending that signal was my Dad's idea."

"You _think_ it was," Ben said. "We could be walking into a big old trap that Ja… Caedus has set up for us."

"Either way, we're here now," Leia said. "I'm going to rescue my grandchild and my husband. And, Force willing, my son, too."

Ben bit back a retort as he slumped back in his seat, his face flushed red.

* * *

Han and Jacen were allowed to rest from their walk, and given food. Carefully, Han picked up a piece of fruit and inspected it carefully before taking a bite. "Not too bad. I hope it's not poison."

"The food here is perfectly edible," Jacen replied, staring out of the window. "I hope Allana behaves, and that this Lady Guinevere takes good care of her. I wish the King had allowed us to meet her before taking Allana to her room."

"I got the distinct impression the King didn't want you to meet her 'cuz he's the jealous sort," Han said between mouthfuls of food. "Maybe his wife's not faithful."

"That could be," Jacen conceded. "But it's still strange. We're leaving on this quest in the morning. It's not like I'd have a one night fling with someone I just met."

Han laughed. "That's not completely unheard of, kid."

Jacen decided to ignore his father's remark. "King Arthur said he'd supply us with weapons and horses before we leave. That was nice of him."

"You mean he's gonna give us those clunky metal swords and let us ride on those animals?" Han asked, raising his eyebrow. "I'll stick to my blaster and walk, thanks anyway. 'Sides, I'm sure your lightsaber would make short work out of their weapons."

"We can't show them our weapons," Jacen warned. "Merlin's already suspicious."

"That old guy gives me the space-shivers," Han said. "Reminds me a bit of Kenobi." Han scratched his head. "And I'd like to know how we're supposed to find this beast thing? We don't know where to look, plus we don't know what in the hells of Corellia it looks like, even if we do happen to run across it."

"We'll ask for a map to guide us, and maybe a drawing or description of the Beast Glatisant." Jacen yawned and headed for the bed. "In the meantime, I'm going to get some sleep. It sounds like a busy day tomorrow."

"I'm telling you one thing," Han warned. "If we do happen to find this beast and it attacks us, I'm blasting it. I don't care if Merlin approves, or not."

The older man walked past the window, and a flash in the distance caught his eye. He tracked the blinking lighted object as it headed toward the ground, slowing as it descended. The object finally disappeared behind the rolling, heavily wooded hills – the same area where much earlier in the day, Han had landed the _Falcon_. So his plan had worked, at least up to this point. The _Jade Shadow_ had made excellent time, but it had caught up to the _Falcon _only because Han had slightly slowed his speed, hoping Jacen wouldn't notice the slight difference in time that it took to arrive. The Corellian quickly glanced over at his son, who was turning down the blanket on the bed. Jacen hadn't seen the lighted object, and gave no indication he was aware of these new visitors.

So far, so good.

* * *

"It's getting dark," Jaina noted as the group stood at the bottom of the _Shadow's_ ramp. "Maybe we should wait until morning before we head out."

Leia was walking around the _Falcon_, which was draped in branches and hidden behind leaves. "They took a lot of time to hide the ship. It might be a good idea if we do the same."

"I agree with both of you," Luke stated. "We'll use the dark to camouflage our ship, then we'll head out at first light."

Jania nodded, and started to gather branches. "Come on, Ben. I'm not doing this by myself."

"Dad…."

"Go help Jaina," Luke said firmly, craning his neck to look up at the tall trees. "I know how much you want to get going, but Jacen isn't going anywhere."

"But…"

"Ben, please!"

"But, Dad!"

Luke turned around, about to scold his teenage son, but stopped himself when he saw where Ben was pointing. In the shadowy mist at the edge of the meadow, a slender woman stood, her face obscured by the gossamer fog. She raised one hand, palm side up, and Luke suddenly saw a wisp of red-gold hair. His heart dropped, and he moved forward. "Mara?"

Ben pushed past his father, breaking out in a run. "MOM?"

He got no more than four steps when the woman moved back, and her form faded away. "Mom?" Ben continued forward, desperately searching the perimeter of the woods.

By this time, Luke had caught up to his son. "Let's get back to the ship."

"But… you saw her, too! It _was_ Mom! I'm sure of it!"

"It couldn't have been," Luke said gently. "I didn't sense her, so it must have been an illusion. Maybe the reflection of the light."

Ben gave a disgusted grunt. "I _know_ what I saw," he mumbled, then headed back to the ship.

Luke gave a glance around the meadow, and risked reaching out with the Force. The only life he felt was insects and wildlife.

* * *

"Such a beautiful child, as delicate as a fairy thou be," Lady Guinevere said, stroking Allana's head as she tucked the girl into the thick quilts. "Thou must be a divine gift from above, sent to soothe my troubled heart."

Allana frowned up at the pretty lady, trying to figure out what she was saying. "My mommy was a queen."

"Really?" Guinevere asked, drawing back in surprise. "The land thou mother rulest… dost it be far?"

"Very far away," Allana replied, her eyes watering. "My mommy died."

"Truly that be a tragedy. Fear not, sweet Allana. For all thine eyes can see shall someday be thine to reign o'er." Guinevere stood, and smiled down at the girl. "My Allana. Thou shall be happy abiding in Camelot, and when I am no longer, all my subjects shall bow at thy feet and call thee Queen. Sweet dreams shall follow thee into slumber tonight."

As the Queen left the room, Allana pulled the blankets up to her chin. Her eyes moved over to the open window. "Don't leave me here, Daddy," she whispered in a quivering voice.


	4. Chapter 4

It was still dark when a heavy thudding sounded on Han and Jacen's door. Jacen jumped up, and hurried to see who was creating such a racket. He swung the door open, and saw a fair-haired man standing in the hallway, an annoyed expression plastered across his handsome face.

Jacen shook off the remaining haze of sleep. "Can I help you?"

"Who is it, kid?" Han yelled over. "It's the middle of the night, for kest's sake."

"Since thou art but strangers in our midst, my King hast requested that I accompany thee to yon forest, where the Beast doth resideth," the man replied. "Thou steeds are made ready, and awaitest thy command."

By this time, Han had staggered over. "You're not Lanval."

The man's eyes widened. "Knight Lanval? Verily, a noble guide and fair horseman he may be, but nary a soul in the Kingdom tis better than I … Sir Lancelot, son of King Ban and Queen Elaine."

"So, let me understand," Han said. "You're going to take us to this beast thing?"

"Verily."

"Are you gonna help us kill it?"

"Alas, I cannot," Lancelot replied sadly. "My King hath given orders that only thee shall slay Glatisant. I can do naught but observe thy failu….I meaneth to say, thy triumph."

"What does Glatisant look like?" Han asked.

"Questing Beast tis four times larger than the King's largest steed, with the head of a serpent, the spots of a leopard and loins of a mighty lion from yon strange distant lands, and the hooves of a powerful stag." Lancelot's expression took on a wistful look. "And the noise the beast creates…it soundeth like thirty hunting hounds on a quest. Thus, the beast's namesake, the Questing Beast. Hunted have I more than one fortnight to slayeth this very beast."

"I'm not going anywhere until I say goodbye to Allana," Jacen said. "I need to see that she's okay."

Lancelot appeared uncomfortable with this request. "Thy child is safe with Lady Guinevere, wife of the King. Thine horses grow impatient."

"We ain't going anywhere, pal, until we see Allana," Han snarled. "You can tell your horses to cool their afterburners."

"What nonsense dost thy aged father speak of?" Lancelot demanded of Jacen. "His words bode of elderly befuddlement or libations."

"Are you calling me a crazy old drunk geezer?" Han shouted. "I oughta blast you for insulting me."

"Dad, please!" Jacen pleaded. "Let's not start an argument with Sir Lancelot."

"I didn't start it," Han replied, miffed, and pointing at Lancelot. "He started it!"

"Knight Jacen, allowest me to beg forgiveness for any insult. It was not my intent. I shall take thee to thy child, to allow thee comfort in parting."

"Well, good," Han huffed out. "That's all we were asking. Lead the way, Shorty."

"What dost thou meanest by the term 'shorty'?"

"I've noticed everyone on this planet seems to be a bit height deprived. You guys would make good X-Wing pilots, since they're all short, too."

"Art thou insulting me?" Lancelot asked, straightening up and trying to appear taller.

"Yeah, but let's just call it 'getting even,'" Han responded, ignoring his son's groaning.

More confused than angry, Lancelot led the way down the wide hallways, until they stopped in front of a closed door. The Knight glanced nervously down the corridor, then knocked softly on the frame. "My Lady? Art thou awake?" he whispered against the handle.

After a few moments, the door creaked open, and a pretty young woman stuck her head out. "What dost thou mean by coming to my room at such a late hour?" she asked quietly. "If he should see thou – "

"Lady Guinevere, I have brought these strangers," Lancelot interrupted hurriedly. "The father of the child demandeth one final visit before setting off on their quest."

The woman looked past the knight, and her eyes locked with Jacen's. "Thou be Allana's sire?"

"Yes, I'm Allana's father. Knight Jacen of Coruscant, at your service, m' lady," Jacen said, bowing deeply. He waved toward Han. "And this is my father, Han Solo of Corellia."

Lady Guinevere glanced at Han, then quickly back to Jacen. "I can see thine family's resemblance, both in stature and face. Thou must be the handsomest knight in all kingdoms, near and far."

Han put his hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh, and noticed Lancelot's angry expression and flushed pallor. "Can we see Allana?"

"Of course," Guinevere replied, stepping aside to allow them to enter. "But thou must act quickly, for the King shall not approveth."

Allana was still asleep, and Jacen hurried to her side. With Han watching, Jacen woke her up, and spoke quietly, reassuring her she'd be safe and to wait until they returned. Han was far more interested in the whispered, but heated conversation between Guinevere and Lancelot. Surreptitiously, he moved closer to the couple until he was able to hear their words.

"Why dost thou take such notice of other men?"

"Jealousy dost not suit thee, Sir Lancelot."

"Thou would not approveth of my attentions to Guinevak, would thee?"

"Do not be disgusting," Guinevere shot back. "Dost thou have interest in my sister?"

"Nay, I have not eyes for anyone but thee. Still, it driveth me mad when thou looketh upon another man."

"Go, and take care to return," Guinevere said, looking longingly at Jacen, who was kissing Allana's forehead. "And take care of Knight Jacen, so he doth return safely to his child's side."

Lancelot's face grew dark with rage, and he put his hand over his sword hilt. "I shall taketh care of Knight Jacen, of that thou can trust."

* * *

Luke woke up and sleepily turned over in his cot, when suddenly the Force prodded the Jedi, telling him something was wrong. Luke was instantly awake and alert, reaching out within the small confines of the ship to try and sense his son's presence. He could feel Leia and Jaina, still asleep in their own rooms, but no Ben.

Quickly the Jedi jumped up and threw on his robe. He searched the ship, and when he found nothing, he woke up his sister and niece. "Ben's gone."

The Princess frowned. "Gone?"

"He went out to find Jacen without us," Jaina quickly surmised.

"Maybe," Luke replied. "But I think it might have something to do with what happened yesterday evening, when you were covering up the ship."

"What happened?"

"Ben thought he saw Mara at the edge of the woods. I did too, for a brief moment. It must have been the shadows," Luke finished explaining, sounding as though he were still trying to convince himself.

"You think he might have gone searching for Mara?" Leia asked. "Why would he believe she's still alive? We were at her funeral. We saw her body."

"It could have been her Force-ghost," Jaina said. "Maybe she's come here trying to reason with Ben, to tell him not to do something he'll regret."

"That's certainly a possibility," Leia said. "I still vividly recall when Anakin Skywalker appeared to me on Bakura."

"Except it was odd that she'd just fade away before allowing us to speak to her," Luke responded. "Hopefully, he won't be too far ahead of us. I'll need to reach out further with the Force, and risk Jacen sensing us."

"That's the chance we'll need to take," Leia agreed.

* * *

The teenager pushed some heavy branches aside, squinting into the gloom. His dad was wrong this time; Ben was certain about what he'd seen the night before. "Mom? Where are you, Mom?"

A soft rustle came from his left side, and he spun around, his hand grasping his lightsaber hilt. "Who's there? Mom? Is that you?"

A whispered response, almost too quiet to hear. "My son…"

Ben wasted no time, and he rushed through the underbrush in the direction of the voice, stumbling over rocks as he entered a sloped meadow. At the bottom of the curve was a small lake, the edges lined with smooth, dark pebbles. Fifty feet away, standing at the shoreline, stood a slender woman, dressed in a long white gown. Ben squinted, trying to see her face, but he was positive her hair was a shiny red-gold. "MOM! It is you!" He moved to rush forward, but the woman held up her hand, palm facing the young Jedi.

"Do not come too close to me, my child," she said. "It is forbidden."

"Forbidden?" Ben asked, forcing himself to stop his forward progress. He had a million questions, and his heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst. "It's all Jacen's fault, isn't it? The Sith sent you here, and he left someone else's body so we'd think it was you. Why did he pretend he'd killed you? Why did he bring you to this planet? Why can't I come close to you?"

"So many questions," the woman said, sounding amused. "Come a few steps closer, my son."

Ben obeyed, and when he got close enough to see her face he felt confused. The woman looked a bit like his mother, but not exactly. Then, with another step, he could see her smile, and her face suddenly changed, and was exactly like his mother's. He reached out with the Force, but felt her rebuff his attempt. "Why can't I sense you?"

"Such a strong wizard you are."

"Wizard?" Ben asked, frowning.

"Ah, I meant Jedi. We call our kind Jedi."

"Dad'll be so excited that you're still alive. Why did you disappear last night?"

The red-head looked confused herself for a moment. "Dad? Oh… you mean your father."

"You don't remember him?"

The woman looked away. "My memories are hazy… since, you know…"

"The fight with Jacen," Ben said knowingly. "He has the abilities to take away memories."

"Yes. Jacen," the woman replied. "Please forgive me if I have a hard time with some memories."

"I understand," Ben replied, his tone angry. "My dad's name is Luke Skywalker. Your name is Mara Jade Skywalker. Do you remember now?"

"It's coming back to me, slowly. Like I know you're my son, yet your name eludes me."

"Ben. My name is Ben."

"Ah, yes. Ben. Such a strong name."

"Will you come back to the ship with me?"

"He won't believe us, my son. Jacen took away not only my memories, but the ability for other Jedi to sense me through the…Force."

Ben took another step forward, only to see his mother's eyes narrow. "Dad will believe us. You have to trust me."

"No, I cannot. The reason it is forbidden to touch me is that Jacen hast cast a spell on me. It can only be undone by a single method and then, and only then, can I fully rejoin you and your father."

"How? Wait…I know… by killing Darth Cadeus!"

The woman calling herself Mara looked perplexed. "No… you or your father must bring me Excalibur. Only with that can I destroy our enemies."

"Who's Excalibur?"

Mara laughed. "Not a who, my son. A what. It is a magical sword, and whoever holds it becomes invincible."

Ben's eyes widened. "That must be why Jacen's come here! He wants Excalibur."

"That is very likely. You must find it before he does, and bring it back here, to this exact location. I will be waiting for you." She nodded, then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Ben cried out. "Don't go… I don't know where to find this sword."

She looked over her shoulder, near the edge of the woods. "When you find Jacen you will find Lancelot, and then you will find Excalibur."

"Lancelot?" Ben asked, but the woman disappeared into the surrounding trees.

* * *

With Jacen already mounted and encouraging his father, Han hoisted himself up on the animal the locals called a 'horse', nervously peering down at Sir Lancelot. "What do horses eat, anyway?"

"Grasses and grain," the knight replied. "Why dost thou asketh?"

"I thought maybe it liked raw meat. I'm not fond of riding on animals that want to eat me."

"Thou art a strange man, Han Solo of Corellia. First thou dost not desireth a sword nor armor, and now thou thinkest horses consume men." Lancelot shook his head, and awkwardly got on his own animal with help from two young boys called pages. With all that armor, getting on wasn't an easy task. "How dost thou plan to kill Glatisant?"

"With our bare hands," Han deadpanned.

"Surely thou jest! Durst thee have courage to smite the Questing Beast with nary a weapon?"

"I'm not sure what you just said," Han responded blithely, "But I suggest you hang onto your dura-steel cup, 'cuz you're in for a big surprise when me and Jacen take out Glatisant."

Jacen laughed. "My dad is joking, Sir Lancelot. I'll borrow one of your swords, if you don't mind."

"Mind?" Lancelot asked suspiciously. "First thy covets my King's lady, and now thee desireth my weapons. Give thee a weapon upon finding the Beast I shall, and naught a moment before."

"Err, okay," Jacen said, glancing over at Han. On the way over to the stables, Han had hurriedly told Jacen about the conversation between Lancelot and Guinevere, but Jacen had reassured his father he could easily deal with Sir Lancelot when the time came. Besides, Jacen wasn't sure Han had heard correctly, since there would be no reason for Lancelot to be jealous of the King's wife.

"HUZZAH!" Lancelot yelled, kicking his horse and causing it to bolt forward. "Off we goest… to seek the Questing Beast!"

The pages gave Han's and Jacen's horses a hard slap, and their animals lurched into a gallop, following Sir Lancelot over the wooden draw bridge and out of the village's walls.

Mouth open wide, Han dropped the reins, desperately clutched the pommel of the saddle, and the horse's mane. "Ahhh …I'm gonna fall off!"

"Just hang on," Jacen yelled back, using the Force to balance himself. "You're doing great."

Han blinked back tears of pain. "I'm not making fun of those dura-steel protection cups ever again, kid."

* * *

"BEN!" Luke called out as he hurried through the thick underbrush, with Leia and Jaina closely behind. He had been reaching out with the Force to sense his son, but it was obvious Ben was shielding himself.

Leia skidded to a stop. "They're close."

"Ben?" Jaina asked. If Luke couldn't sense Ben, it was unlikely Leia could.

"No… I can sense Jacen and Han."

Jaina nodded, her expression growing concerned. "I can sense them, too. And that means that he can probably sense us by now."

"Which isn't a good thing," Leia said, thinking about Han. If Jacen realized that Han had sent them a signal, there was no telling how he'd react.

A rustle sounded from the bushes, and a few seconds later a bedraggled Ben appeared, looking somewhat abashed. "Hi, Dad."

"Ben Skywalker," Luke said sternly, unable to hide the relief that swept over him. "What were you thinking, running off like that?"

"I wanted to see if I could find Mom."

Luke repressed a sigh. It would do no good to argue with Ben about whether they'd seen a vision of Mara. "Well, as long as you're back and safe, I guess that's all that matters."

"I found her."

"What?"

"I found Mom!" Ben said excitedly. "I found her, and I even talked to her."

Leia and Luke exchanged dubious gazes, while Jaina stepped forward, worried about her young cousin. "What did she say to you?"

"Well…" Ben hesitated, unsure of how much he should reveal. "She said that Jacen used the darkside of the Force to send her to this planet, and she's having a hard time remembering things. I can relate to that, because I know what Jacen can do to a person's mind. I think she's stuck in some type of in-between place. She's not dead, and she can't come back. At least not yet." He turned to Leia. "Did I hear you say Jacen's close by? We need to find him, before he runs again and leaves this planet."

Luke was seldom at a loss for words, but this time he couldn't think of a way to argue with his son. It was obvious that Ben was truly convinced that Mara was somehow still alive, and that they could rescue her. "Let's find Jacen, then," he finally said. "Maybe he can give us some answers about this mystery woman."

"She's not a mystery woman," Ben said hotly. "I've talked to Mom, face to face. You're going to feel really dumb when I'm proven right."

"Ben, I'd appreciate it if you'd show me some respect," Luke said. "Not only as your father, but as a Jedi Master."

"I'll show you respect when you've earned it," Ben responded, then stomped off down the path, forcing the others to follow, both dismayed and silent in his angry wake.

* * *

Fortunately for Han, the horses had slowed to a walk. They rode single file, with Lancelot in the lead, and Han in the rear. Jacen suddenly pulled on his reins, and Han's horse automatically stopped short.

"Jace? What's the matter? Why did you stop?"

"They're here…" the younger Solo said softly.

"Who?"

Jacen blinked and shook his head. "What?"

Han frowned at his son. "You said, 'they're here'. Who's here?"

"Mom, Uncle Luke, Jaina. Ben, too, I think. You've betrayed me."

The Corellian swallowed nervously. "I didn't .."

"Yes, you did," Jacen shouted, turning his horse to face his father. "I don't care that you'd do this to me, but you've signed Allana's death-warrant!"

"Kid, listen to me," Han said evenly. "Your mom and Uncle Luke have no intentions of hurting Allana."

Jacen pulled the hilt of his lightsaber from his belt. "How stupid can you be? They'll kill me and take Allana back, and then she'll be the target of every revenge-minded psychopath in the galaxy."

"No one is going to kill you," Han responded. It was taking all his will-power not to reach for his blaster. He knew it would be a useless gesture. Jacen was far too powerful for him to stand a chance. His only hope was in convincing his eldest son of his true intentions. "If you've really rejected the darkside, then this is your chance to prove it. Not only to me, but to Luke and everyone else. That's why I sent them the signal, Jacen. So we can start to put our family back together again."

"It won't happen," Jacen said bitterly. "No one will believe me. All they want is to get revenge for Aunt Mara's death."

By this time, Sir Lancelot had brought his horse around and approached the men. "Why dost thee pauseth? My mount grows skittish, surely a sign the Beast tis nigh at hand."

"I'm continuing this quest by myself," Jacen informed Lancelot, his face flushed red. "I'll take care of the Beast and return with its head. You stay here and tend to my frail and elderly father. His befuddlement seems to be getting worse with every passing moment." Without giving either man a chance to response, Jacen dug his heels into his horse, and galloped away.

"Both thee and thy offspring be odd creatures," Lancelot grumbled at Han. "We should give pursuit."

"Yeah, I guess we'd better," Han said. "Frail and elderly, my blaster. I'll show him who's frail."

A voice shouted from the winding trail behind them. "HAN!"

Han twisted in his saddle to look over his shoulder at four approaching figures. "Leia?"

"Dost thou knowest yon travelers?"

"Yeah. That's my wife, Leia Organa of, um, Alderaan, and my daughter, Jaina of Coruscant, and my brother-in-law, Master Knight Luke Skywalker of Tatooine and his kid, Ben."

"Kid? I see nary a goat. Why namest he a young goat, Ben?"

"What?" Han asked, totally confused. "Goat? What the kest is a goat? Ben is Luke's son."

"Then why dost thou sayeth Ben tis a goat?"

"I never said Ben was a goat!"

Lancelot shrugged his shoulders. "Thou dost not seemeth to take much pleasure at seeing thy family."

"I'm pleased," Han said, dismounting the horse. "I'm also a little bit worried."

"Why dost thou worry?"

By this time Leia was close enough that Han could see her angry expression. "Han Solo! How dare you take off with Jacen and Allana and not tell me your plans. What were you thinking?" She came up to his face, pointing her finger in his face. "I was worried sick! I thought Jacen had killed you, and I was never going to see you or my only grandchild again. Is Allana safe? Where is Jacen? You're lucky I don't hang you upside-down and shake you until your teeth rattle out for giving me such a scare!"

Han rubbed the back of his neck, and glanced up at Lancelot, who was sitting still and quiet. "Do you understand now?"

"Verily," Lancelot replied, nodding.

Han leaned forward, and gave his startled wife a firm kiss on her lips. "Honey, I'd like you to meet Sir Lancelot. He's the Knight that's taking me and Jacen to find the Beast Glatisant."

Leia looked taken aback. "A beast? What kind of beast?"

"Some type of nasty monster, apparently. We're supposed to cut off its head and take it back to King Arthur."

"Why?"

"To prove we're good guys."

"You're Lancelot?" Ben asked, suddenly interested in the native human.

"None other but the greatest knight of the King's Roundtable," Lancelot said, bowing his head to the boy.

"You've heard of this guy?" Jaina asked.

"Mom told me his name," Ben said, giving his father a smug look. "She said when we found Jacen, he'd be with someone named Lancelot."

"Where _is_ Jacen, anyway?" Luke questioned casually, putting his hand on Ben's shoulder.

Han turned his attention to the Jedi Master. "He got sorta mad at me that I let you guys know where we headed. So he took off to find Glatisant by himself." Han cleared his throat. "Luke… Jacen has renounced the darkside."

"I've got a planet for sale, real cheap too, as long as you're buying bantha droppings," Ben spoke up with a snort, ignoring Luke's fingers pressing harder into his flesh.

Han gave Ben a cautious glance. "Jacen wanted to bring Allana here 'cuz he's afraid she'd be killed if she stays in our galaxy."

"Yeah. Right."

"Ben," Luke warned his son. "Let's hear what your uncle has to say."

"Are you sure Jacen has come back from the darkside?" Jaina asked her father. "Maybe he just wanted to escape justice."

"If that were the case, then why did he bring me with him? He could've killed me once I took him to Allana, and covered all his tracks," Han argued. "I really think he's come around."

"I hope he has," Luke said sincerely. He looked at the knight. "Lancelot? Will you take us to where this beast is located? Jacen might need our assistance."

Ben angrily shrugged off his father's grip. "Yes, Sir Lancelot. Let's go rescue Jacen. I sure wouldn't want the beast to kill him…..before I get my chance first."


	5. Chapter 5

Jacen used the Force to guide him as his horse trotted along the trail. His connection to all types of animals had remained strong, even through the years spent as a Sith, and even if that connection had become distasteful since his brother Anakin's death. He could sense his horse did not want to go off the path, toward the right. Even using the Force, he could not convince the horse to move off the path, so Jacen dismounted and continued on foot.

He knew his family was following him, and he didn't have much time before they arrived. He stopped at the entry to a cave. The cave's gloomy entrance angled downward, and strongly radiated of the darkside. Jacen held his lightsaber in his grasp, the called, "Come out. I know you're in there."

After a few moments, a slender female figure emerged. "Tis been a long time."

"Morgana," he responded, his tone neutral.

"Thou hast not come alone this time."

"My family is here," Jacen acknowledged. "I told you about them last time I spoke to you."

"Yes, thou did. But thou failest to tell me about thy cousin, Ben."

"Ben? He was only a small child when I was here last."

"He hast grown to become a powerful wizard in the years since," she said. "Although, he _was_ rather easy to manipulate."

Jacen was startled, wondering how she knew what he'd done to Ben while he was Ben's mentor. "What do you mean?"

"I appeared to him as though I was his mother," she responded. "He sayeth thou smite Mara Jade. Is this not what be the darkside thou spoke about?"

"It was self-defense," Jacen shot back. "She came after me, intending to kill me. I had no choice in the matter."

"So thou sayeth."

"It's the truth!" Jacen said. "What did _you _say to Ben? Did he believe you were Mara?"

"Verily, he believeth. The boy tis angry with thou, Jacen. He desireth to kill thee."

"I am aware of that," Jacen said dryly. "But thanks for the unnecessary warning."

"Appearing as his mother, I telleth him I was not yet fully gone, and that I could be drawn back to the living, but only if he obeyeth me," she continued.

"Why would you do that?"

"To further both our ambitions, Jacen. Hast thou forgotten thy promise to me?"

"I have not forgotten," Jacen said. "But it seems rather pointless."

Her eyes grew dark and angry. "Pointless to thee, perchance. I taught thee well with my skills, and now thou shall repay my kindness by upholding thy end of the bargain."

Jacen laughed. "You were only a small part of my overall learning experience, Morgana. You may have been one of my teachers, once upon a time, but my skills have grown far beyond anything you'll ever comprehend. The bargain we agreed upon is null and void."

Morgana grew enraged. "Thou shall pay with thy life, Jacen, for thy treachery." She raised her hands, summoning her powers, then a fireball appeared in her hand and she flung it at Jacen.

With deliberate calmness, Jacen ignited his lightsaber and dissolved the fireball before it could touch him. Again, Morgana tried her spell, and again Jacen easily deflected her attack. "We could do this all day, Morgana," Jacen said, sounding bored. "I can guarantee that you won't be successful. Or I could just kill you and be done with it."

The sorceress dropped her arms. "Thou shall rue the day thy crossed me, Jacen." Then, in a puff of smoke, she disappeared.

Even Jacen would admit he was surprised by her sudden disappearance. He cautiously peered into the cave using his lightsaber to see inside. It was not a large cave, and there was no other exit. Sighing, he headed back toward where he'd left his horse. He could sense his family was very close, and he dreaded the upcoming encounter.

* * *

Still on his horse, Lancelot led the way, while the others all followed on foot. "If you think one kiss is going to make me forgive you, you're in for a surprise," Leia told her husband.

"Would you rather I'd refused to tell Jacen where Allana was?" Han asked, looking over his shoulder at the horse he was now leading, glaring at the animal that was insistently nipping his right ear. "If he's still a Sith, he'd have pulled the information out of my brain and then killed me. Right?"

"Is Allana safe?"

"Yeah, she's fine." Han lowered his voice. "She's with King Arthur's wife, Guinevere."

"Why are you whispering?" Jaina whispered, moving closer.

"'Cuz I think Lancelot is having a fling with Lady Guinevere. But now Lancelot is all steamed because Guinevere has the hots for Jacen."

"If that's true, then the Queen must be insane," Ben remarked. "Is King Arthur normal?"

Han shrugged. "I guess he is. But he seems to put a lot of stock in what this strange wizard-type guy has to say. Merlin – that's the wizard – is actually the one that decided me and Jacen had to go find the beast and cut off its head."

"I'll bet Jacen loved that idea," Ben said. "Killing things is his style."

"But it's not our style," Luke stated. "And you'll do well to remember that, Ben."

"Yes, Master," Ben said sarcastically as he began quoting his father's lessons. "Revenge is from the darkside. A Jedi rejects hatred, and only kills in self defense, or defending the innocent. The Force brings calm and balance."

"I'm glad you know all that," Luke said patiently. "Now try to practice what you know."

The knight pulled his horse to a stop and pointed. "There stands Knight Jacen's mount. But he dost seemeth naught to be nigh. Tis very odd, indeed, since lair of Beast Glatisant lies further, beyond yon fairie dale."

Leia leaned toward Han. "What did he say?"

"Jacen left his horse, but he's not around, and the beast lives farther away," Han supplied. "Don't worry, you get used to their way of talking pretty quick."

The Jedi Master put his hand on his lightsaber, and looked right, into the thick trees. A lone figure emerged from the forest. "Jacen."

"Hello, Master Luke," Jacen said, nodding. He turned to greet his mother and sister but never got the chance.

Ben Skywalker wasted no time as he vaulted over his father's head, and turned on his lightsaber, slashing out at Jacen's neck. If his father was not going to destroy that monster, Darth Caedus, then it was up to him. Even though Ben moved at lightning speed, everything felt like slow-motion. He could see the shocked expressions on the faces of his family, he could see the cousin he had once trusted turning on his weapon, and raising the blade…

He was a second too slow, and Jacen blocked what would have been a decapitating blow. The blades sizzled as they impacted, and Ben spun around, attempting to cut Jacen off at the knees. Still he was too slow. Frustrated, he cried out in rage, pulling the weapon over his head and mindlessly slamming in down at Jacen, over and over, driving Jacen backwards.

Both Han and Luke reacted at the same time. Luke reached out with the Force and grabbed his son's wrists, while Han took the more dangerous approach of physically pulling Jacen out of harm's way by pushing his son behind him.

Tears were streaming down Ben's face as he slumped in defeat and faced his father. "You should have helped me. Together, we could have killed him."

"Your mother would be disappointed in you, Ben," Luke said sadly.

"NO!" Ben screamed, moving away from the group and shutting down his weapon. "No, she would not! If Caedus would have killed you, do you really think Mom would ever have forgiven that Sith? NO! No, she wouldn't have! She would have understood me! She would have HELPED me, instead of stopping me!"

To everyone's shock, Ben ran toward Jacen's horse, and flung himself on the animal's back, then galloped away.

"Forsooth! What manner of magic sticks dost thou holdeth?" Lancelot cried, finally finding his voice. "Ne'er hast I gazed upon such strange things. Drawest thy power from the very sun, tis appeareth." Eyes wide, he pointed toward Jacen. "Thou must be a sorcerer! Thy family be ALL spell casters! Guinevere shall be in dire danger keeping thou wicked offspring in her tender care. Wit that I save her, before thine faerie child turn into a serpent and devourest my Queen!" He dug his heels into his horse's side, and thundered away in a cloud of dust as he headed back toward the village and Guinevere.

Jacen was alarmed at Lancelot's reaction. "Allana… I have to get back and protect Allana." He grabbed the reins of Han's horse, jumped on and followed the knight down the path.

"Now what do we do?" Leia asked.

"I'm going to find Ben, and knock some sense into his thick head before it's too late," Luke replied. "I _have_ to make him see how close to falling into the darkside he's getting."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Luke shook his head negatively. "No. This is something Ben and I have to work out. Alone."

"I'll see you later," Leia called out as Luke headed off after his son.

"I still need to find that Glasiant beast," Han remarked.

"You can't be serious," Leia said, looking at her husband with an incredulous expression. "How are you going to find that thing, much less kill it?"

"Lancelot said we were close, so I'll just poke around by the fairy Dale," Han replied casually. He gave his wife a lopsided grin, unbearably happy to be with her again, even if she was mad at him. "I wonder what this fairy Dale person looks like, anyway?"

"A dale is an open field," Leia said, exasperated. "I'm coming along, since I can't trust what will happen to you when you're alone."

"Aw, Princess… you _do_ still care."

"Jacen might need some help," Jaina said after some consideration. "Do you mind if I head into town?"

"Are you sure you can handle Jacen all by yourself?"

"I'm positive," Jaina replied. "And if I'm alone with him, I can see how serious he is about rejecting the darkside."

"Be careful," Leia admonished.

"Yeah, be careful," Han agreed, kissing Jaina on top of her head. "And don't let some short knight with a big stick sweep you off your feet. You wouldn't want Jag to come here and get all jealous."

"Dad!" Jaina protested with a groan.

They watched as the young woman headed off after her brother. "Looks like it's just you and me, sweetheart." He glanced around the thick woods as the sunlight filtered through the overhead branches. Songbirds fluttered through the leaves, and a small furry rodent with long floppy ears hopped nervously across the path. "Sure is pretty here, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is pretty," Leia agreed.

"Are you ready to go cut off the head of a beast?"

"You sure do know how to sweet-talk a lady, Han Solo."

* * *

After a short hike, Luke found the horse Ben had fled upon grazing in a small field. It didn't take Luke too much longer to find his son sitting on a fallen tree trunk. Ben was hunched over, his face buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Pity for his grieving son warred with disappointment over his lack of obedience. Taking a deep breath, Luke approached his only child.

Without looking up, Ben spoke first. "How could you?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

The boy jerked his head up sharply. "I can't understand why you're letting him get away with murdering Mom. I can't understand how you can even consider forgiving him. Mom would've made it her life's goal to avenge _your_ death."

Luke nodded at his son's words. "If that's true, then your mother would have been wrong. Revenge can never be an ulterior motive for a Jedi." Luke sat down next to Ben. "You have to find it in your heart to forgive people, or ultimately you're the one that will pay the highest price. Hate is evil, Ben. It's what powers the darkside."

"Don't you call Mom evil," Ben growled out.

"I would never do that. But sometimes your mom let her emotions override her Jedi standards. Going after Jacen was something she never should have done."

"She was trying to protect me!"

"I know that," Luke agreed quickly. "But still, she never should have confronted Jacen by herself, and she should not have assumed it was her responsibility to kill Jacen. And she should not have assumed that Jacen was beyond saving, either. If my father, after twenty years and countless evil acts, could return, I have to believe Jacen could come back, too."

"So you plan on letting Jacen get away with killing Mom?"

"Not at all. He needs to be held accountable for his actions. If he's truly turned from the darkside, he will accept that fact."

"I don't think he'll accept responsibility," Ben stated. "Then what will you do?"

"I don't know," Luke replied. "All I know is that I'd never be able to give up on you, and I can't give up on my nephew, either." He stood up, and gazed sadly at Ben. "You're heading down a slippery slope toward the darkside, Ben. The same evil that gripped Anakin Skywalker and Jacen Solo is now reaching out for you. I can't lose you, too."

Ben stood up, and wiped his watery eyes. "I'm not turning into a Sith. I promise I won't try to kill Jacen again. Unless he starts something first."

The Jedi Master nodded. "Let's see if we can convince Lancelot we're not sorcerers."

* * *

"Does this look like a dale?" Han questioned his long-suffering wife as he glanced around a flower-filled meadow. "It sure doesn't look like a monster lives here. I thought monsters lived in caves. Or on top of spooky mountains. If we were still on Coruscant I'd have to add sewer systems to the list, but I don't think there are any sewer systems around here. I wonder where everyone goes, don't you? Behind a bush?"

"Listen," Leia said, holding up her finger to her lips.

Han cocked his head. "To what? I can't hear anything."

"Exactly. A little while ago, there were birds singing, and insects chirping. Now it's completely silent."

"Maybe we scared everything off," Han suggested. "You _have _been talking a lot."

"ME?!"

"Well, okay. Maybe I've been doing a little bit of talking, too."

"Han…"

"Most of it?"

"Behind you!"

Han spun around, drawing his blaster. At the far end of the meadow was a creature, about half the size of a bantha, with a long neck and a spotted torso, and it was loping toward them. The Corellian raised his blaster and took aim.

"Don't shoot it!" Leia yelled.

"What? Why?" He turned back to the beast, just as it jumped directly at his chest.

* * *

Jacen's horse had made good time, and he had caught up to the wild-eyed Knight, trailing him as both animals thundered across the drawbridge and back inside the walls of the village. At the base of the castle, Lancelot jumped off his steed and turned to face his pursuer, pulling out his sword.

"Stay thy hand, sorcerer!" Lancelot yelled. "Thou shan't bewitch my Guinevere again."

Jacen dismounted, and warily approached Lancelot. "I have no intentions of stealing Lady Guinevere. She's not my type. I only want my daughter."

"What manner of spells hast thy faerie child casteth upon my Lady?"

"Allana has done no such thing."

"Thou speaketh naught but lies," Lancelot returned hotly. "Ne'er hast a child besotted her like thine hast." The knight poked his sword at Jacen. "Takest up thy wicked light, and I shall smite thee down with none other than my brave and true heart."

"I don't want to fight you," Jacen said wearily.

Just then, King Arthur came running out of the castle, his guards and Merlin trailing behind. "Sir Lancelot! Thou hast returneth too late!"

"Too late?" Jacen repeated. "For what?"

"My fair Guinevere hast been stolen away, by none other than my wicked sister, Morgana," the King replied, putting his hand over his heart. "I fear she may causeth my wonderful wife to come to great harm."

"Allana…" Jacen said, suddenly growing cold. "What about Allana?"

"Thy child hast been stolen, as well," Merlin said, a bit smugly.

"Morgana has Allana?" Jacen said, his head spinning. "I have to find her." He started to turn, but Lancelot quickly stepped between him and the exit.

"Thy child be a witch," Lancelot declared. "Just as surely as thou art, Jacen of Coruscant." He looked eagerly at Merlin for confirmation. "His entire wicked family shall descendth upon our village, for I have seen them and their craft practiced, from whence I came."

"What dost thee witnesseth?" Merlin questioned.

"Sticks of light… pulled from the very heavens above. Surely it be power drawn from the sun," Lancelot replied. "If enough be taketh, verily the sky shall turn dark forever!"

The King looked alarmed. "Dark forever? Surely the crops shall faileth, and all shall perish in cold and hunger! Whatever canst we do?"

"Allowest me, thy greatest knight, Sir Lancelot, to end this sorcerer's life in battle," Lancelot declared. "When he hast been dispatched, his family shall flee in terror, and I shall rescue thy Lady Guinevere from Morgana."

King Arthur clapped his hands. "Ready thy horses and lances, and let it be known to all in town that thou shall defeat Jacen of Coruscant in a joust to the death!"


	6. Chapter 6

Han didn't even have time to cry out in surprise. The impact from the beast dislodged the blaster from his grip, and he ended up crashing backwards with such force his breath was knocked from his lungs. Dizzy from the blow, Han forced his eyes open, aware of a crushing weight on his chest. The reason for the weight became apparent – the creature was sitting on him, looking down while panting and drooling in Han's face.

"Leeha," Han gasped, trying to articulate words. He turned his head toward his silent wife. "Hepp me."

Leia stepped toward the beast. "Can you please get off Han?" she asked politely, patting the creature's side. "It's very hard for him to breathe."

To Han's utter shock, the odd beast hopped off, but not before it reached down and gave the Corellian a wet lick with a long, rough tongue. Han struggled into a sitting position, rubbing his chest. "It understands you?"

"Of course," Leia said. "He's sentient." The creature barked at Leia. "Oh, sorry. He's a she."

"Oh," Han replied. "Does Glatisant speak, too?"

The creature let loose with a loud barking noise, and thumped her tail.

"She doesn't like that name," Leia explained to Han. "She said her name is, um, I can't pronounce it exactly. It sounds like Cesxalqurekenstocz."

The beast gave a short wuff, and Leia smiled. "She says we can call her Cecil."

"Cecil?" Han repeated as he stood up and retrieved his blaster. "Well, that's just wonderful. The King wants us to prove we're good guys by bringing Cecil's head back, but now we can't do that, can we?" Han looked suspiciously at Leia. "How do you understand her, anyway?"

"I don't understand her verbal language, but she's communicating with me mentally, through the Force."

"Ah," Han muttered unhappily. "The Force. Yet again." Before he could duck, the creature gave him another lick, and Han backed away, wiping the slobber from his face. "Tell her to stop that."

"She likes you, Han." Leia struggled not to laugh. "I think you might have a new girlfriend."

"Tell her we're married," Han said worriedly. "_Happily _married."

"Happily? Says you."

"Hey!"

Leia burst out laughing, then frowned at the creature as she concentrated. "Cecil wants to let us know that she can help us."

"In what way?"

"She knows we've lost many of those we love, and she can feel the pain of our loss," Leia translated carefully. "She knows the way through to the portal." Leia touched Cecil's muzzle. "Portal? Where does this portal lead?" The Princess pulled her hand away, shaking her head. "That's not possible."

"What are you talking about?" Han demanded.

Leia turned to Han. "Cecil says she can guide us to the other side, and if we bring the Lady of the Lake something she desires, we can return to the land of the living, with our loved ones. Han, do you know what that means?"

"Are you implying we can go find Anakin and Mara? And Chewie? And bring them back with us?"

"Yes," Leia said softly.

* * *

Jacen was roughly led to a large, flat field that was divided length-wise by a short fence. Onlookers had gathered at the edges of the field, and the smell of food cooking filled the air. On the surface, it appeared to be a picnic, but looks could be deceiving. Jacen could sense an undercurrent of bloodlust permeating the crowd.

"I don't want to fight," Jacen protested as the guards pushed him toward a chestnut-colored horse, and pushed a large pole in his hands.

"Thou faileth to consider consequences toward thine actions," King Arthur stated. "Sorcerers shall be driven from Camelot."

"What about Merlin?" Jacen asked, pointing at the wizard. "He's a sorcerer!"

"Merlin is naught but our King's loyal advisor," Lancelot declared. "Taketh up thy lance, and mount thy horse. The King's subjects await thy end."

"How come you get to wear armor, and I don't?"

Merlin chuckled. "Thou hast the ability to cast forth spells, and summon yon very sun to thy aid. Surly that be equal to poor Lancelot's earthly protection."

"It's still not fair," Jacen grumbled as he was hoisted on his horse.

* * *

The young woman pushed her way through the thick crowd, her eyes widening at what she finally saw in the field. "Jacen?"

"Knowest thee yon sorcerer?" a man asked.

"Yes, I know him," Jaina responded. "He's my brother!"

"Truly?"

Jaina focused on the curious man. "Who are you?"

"Knight Lanval," the man replied, bowing deeply. "First to meet thy brother and his child and father. Jacen of Coruscant told me not that he hath such a beauty for a sister."

"Uh, thanks. My name is Jaina." She nodded her head toward the open field. "What's going on out there?"

"Knight Lancelot hast challenged thy brother to a joust to the death. Perhaps it not be wise for such delicate eyes as thine to witness such a brutal end for thy kin."

Jaina gave an unladylike snort. "I think I can handle it."

"Say not that I faileth to warn thee," Lanval responded. He looked down to his left at Jacen, then turned to the right and pointed at Lancelot. "Sir Lancelot shall tear his trusty steed down yon field, and impale thy brother with his lance. If that faileth to accomplish Jacen's end, then axes shall be taken up, then finally daggers. Jacen of Coruscant stands nary a single chance without armor."

"You don't know Jacen very well, do you?"

"I knew Jacen naught but for a brief time." Lanval smiled. "But know his sister better I would greatly desireth."

"Dream on."

"Thou shall invade all my dreams, both wake and sleep, from this day onward, fair Jaina."

"Let's just watch the joust before I get sick," Jaina muttered.

"Tend thee in sickness and health for all of eternity I shall, Jaina, my vision of heavenly joy," Lanval said with a sigh as he gazed at Jaina, no longer paying attention to the joust.

* * *

It took all of Jacen's willpower not to turn his horse the opposite direction, race off to find his child, and rescue her from Morgana. He could sense the presence of his sister, and he knew that Luke and Ben were also getting closer with every passing minute. If he didn't have Jaina watching, he knew what he would do, but this complicated matters.

Knight Lancelot raised his post, and gave a loud cry to encourage his horse. Reluctantly, Jacen prodded his horse forward and began the galloping charge.

Both lances were aimed at the others' chest, but Lancelot had the distinct advantage of heavy armor protecting him. All Jacen had was his pole… and the Force.

* * *

"Ask her how we can do that," Han told his wife eagerly. "I'd do anything to bring back Anakin and Chewie."

Leia concentrated on the creature, nodding from time to time. After long minutes, she turned back to her husband. "Cecil will guide us through the Mists. Once we are on the other side we will be able to locate our loved ones. But there is a catch, Han. The only way to bring them back is if we can offer the Lady of the Lake a gift in exchange for safe passage back. If we can't offer the Lady what she wants, we will end up stuck on the other side of the Mists, along with our loved ones."

"So we'll be dead, too," Han surmised correctly. "Does Cecil have any idea what kind of gifts this Lady will want?"

"Cecil says she can ask her first, before we enter the mists."

"That's mighty generous of her," Han muttered under his breath. "I'd rather know going in if I need to offer up the Falcon's hyperdrive coil in exchange for getting back. It'd be sorta hard to find a hyperdrive coil lying around on the other side."

"How do you know?"

Han opened his mouth to reply, then snapped it shut. "I don't." Then he got a happy expression on his face. "Do you think they have junkyards full of space cast-offs on the other side? That'd be great."

Leia sighed. "Only you would love that idea, Nerf."

"Come on," Han said. "Let's follow Cecil to this Mist."

* * *

Riding double on the horse, Luke and Ben made good time getting to Camelot. As they crested a hill, the village walls came into view, but what got their attention was the gathering taking place outside the village. Ben squinted into the distance, looking at the crowd gathered in a large field. "What's going on down there?"

"It looks like some festival," Luke remarked. "I can sense Jaina and Jacen there, too."

Ben's sense grew darker, but Luke could feel his son fighting down his emotions. "Is that Jacen riding a horse in the middle of the field?" Ben leaned forward, as though a few inches could help him see better. "He's holding a pole, and pointing at that other guy."

The roar of the crowd could be heard, even from their vantage point. "I think this is some type of contest," Luke commented, frowning at the unfolding scene. He tuned his senses toward the armored man. "That's Lancelot on the other horse."

"Lancelot?" Ben asked, alarmed. Lancelot knew where this special sword was located. "We have to help him, before Jacen kills him!" No sooner than he'd spoken those words, when the two horses charged forward. "Jacen's attacking!"

"We'll stop this fight," Luke promised his son as he urged the horse on.

* * *

The distance between the two combatants closed quickly. Jacen knew there would be no way he'd survive without some interference from the Force. As Lancelot drew nearer, Jacen used his skills to push the Knight's pole sharply downward, driving the sharp point into the turf. Without warning, Lancelot was pitched high in the air and off his horse. He flipped forward, like an armor-plated pole-vaulter, and came crashing down in front of his horse. He would have been trampled if the horse hadn't suddenly veered off, galloping off into the crowd.

Jacen pulled his horse to a fast stop, and trotted back to his opponent. "Are you alright?"

Slowly, Lancelot sat up, pushing his visor off his face. He looked stunned and confused, and the crowd roared with laughter. "How dost I endeth up down here?"

"You dropped your pole into the dirt," Jacen said, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe it was too heavy for you."

"Ne'er hast such a thing occureth," Lancelot declared, as several knights hurried forward to help him to his feet. "Bring forth the axes," Lancelot shouted at his helpers, his face flushing with embarrassment. "And findeth my steed. I shan't alloweth such a small error to end my quest to dispatch yon sorcerer."

Jacen relinquished his lance, and a knight thrust a heavy battle-axe into his hand. "Are you sure you don't want to quit while you're ahead?"

"A head tis what I shall holdeth," Lancelot declared as he was boosted back on his horse. "And it shall be thine, Jacen of Coruscant." He raised his axe above his head, swinging it toward Jacen.

* * *

"Lancelot shan't be the King's favored knight after this day," Lanval told Jaina. "To fall off his mount tis truly a disgrace." He puffed out his chest as he smiled broadly at Jaina. "Another knight must surely take his place next to the King's right side. Thou shalt be most highly honored if thou be the wife of the King's best knight."

Jaina's mouth dropped open. "Are you proposing to me?"

"Verily, I asketh to take thy hand in matrimony, fair Jaina."

"Uh… we just met, like five minutes ago."

"Shall I wait upon another suitor to sweep thee off thy delicate mode of conveyance?" Lanval questioned, then continued without waiting for Jaina's response. "Nary I dost opine. Cast aside all doubts, lovely Jaina, and speaketh in favor of my request."

"Let's just watch my brother," Jaina replied, edging further away from Lanval.

Lanval beamed. "Thou dost naught reject my heartfelt plea, so thou hast made this knight's heart sing with rapturous melody."

"Look," Jaina said excitedly, and pointing. "My Uncle Luke and my cousin Ben are here!"

"Thou hast the largest clan I canst recall."

* * *

Jacen easily blocked the man's first blow with his own axe. It would be so easy to simply turn on his lightsaber and dissect the ancient steel weapon, but the young man decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Instead, as Lancelot charged yet again, Jacen focused on the Knight's horse, transmitting an image of a snake into the animal's mind.

Just as the axe swung down, the horse reared. The heavy weapon flew from Lancelot's grasp, and he tumbled off backwards, landing with an audible 'oof' as he hit the ground. This time, the crowd started jeering and throwing food and sticks at the stunned Knight. Lancelot struggled to his feet without assistance, and with his head hanging down in shame, he pushed his way through the angry crowd as he tried to escape his humiliation.

* * *

"Uncle Luke!" Jaina yelled, waving her arm. "Over here!" She watched happily as Luke and Ben rushed over.

"What's going on here?" Luke questioned, looking over at the mob, which was busy throwing objects at a retreating Lancelot.

"Oh, Lancelot challenged Jacen to a duel to the death," Jaina said dismissively. "We should go find Mom and Dad. Who knows what kind of trouble they're in by now."

"If thou art fair Jaina's eldest male kin, let it be known I seek her delicate hand in matrimony," Lanval said, pushing forward. "Canst thou bequest her hand to mine?"

Luke frowned in confusion. "What?"

"He wants to marry me, Uncle Luke."

"Why?"

"What kind of question is that?" Jaina asked, irritated. "Do you think I'm not good enough for some guy to want to marry?"

"No… I never said… I meant…" Luke stuttered out. "Do you know this guy?"

"No, but that's besides the point."

"Do you want to marry him?"

"Force, NO!"

Luke sighed, and gave up trying to understand. "Maybe we should just get Jacen and then go find your parents."

Jaina looked around. "Where did Ben go?"

Startled, Luke whipped his head back around, trying to locate his son. Indeed, Ben was gone, and shielding himself in the Force.


	7. Chapter 7

Jacen pushed his way through the angry mob, using the Force to distract them from his presence. "Jaina? Uncle Luke?"

"I guess Ben didn't go after you again," Jaina commented.

"Ben's disappeared again?"

"Obviously," Luke said dryly. "The question is, if he's not attacking you, what's he doing?"

"I might have some idea," Jacen said reluctantly.

"Spill it, Jacen."

Jacen took a deep breath. "This planet was one of the places I visited during my sojourn to find out all the mysteries of the Force. I met with a woman named Morgana, and I promised her if she taught me what she knew, I'd pay her back by returning one day and helping her destroy her brother and become the Queen. I never thought I'd come back, so what did a few worthless promises mean?"

"This doesn't surprise me a bit," Jaina shot out. "You're good at making worthless promises."

"Continue," Luke said, becoming more and more concerned.

"King Arthur is Morgana's brother. She needs a special sword called Excalibur to rule. I met up with Morgana right before you arrived, and I told her I wouldn't help her. So now she's paid me back by kidnapping Allana."

"Oh, no," Jaina said, eyes wide.

"Unfortunately, yes. I think she might have fooled Ben into retrieving Excalibur. She told me she had appeared to him as Mara."

"That explains a lot," Luke said, fighting down anger. "We need to find Ben, and stop him from stealing this sword."

"Or _help_ him," Jacen said.

"What!?"

"Listen," Jacen continued hurriedly. "Morgana isn't kidding. She'll kill Allana and Guinevere. We can trick her into letting them go if we show her we have the sword, and promise to give it to her."

"I shant alloweth thee to steal the King's sword!" Lanval cried out. "Naught ev'n if it causeth me to lose the true love of my heart!"

The Jedi turned to face the man, startled. Jaina recovered first. "Lanval, please? The life of your Queen and my niece are both at stake." She batted her eyes at him. "If you help us, I might be inclined to look upon your request favorably."

The knight looked flustered. "Truly? Perchance thou art correct. The Queen's life seems of more value than a sword."

"Of course it is."

"Help thee I shall. Come, and I shall taketh thee to the location of Excalibur." He hurried ahead, turning only to indicate with a wave that they needed to hurry.

"Now who's making promises they don't intend to keep?" Jacen muttered under his breath, ignoring Jaina's glare as they followed Lanval.

* * *

"Lancelot!"

The shamed knight turned, prepared to face yet another tormentor. Instead he found himself staring down at the young sorcerer from the far-off land known only as Coruscant. "Hast thou followed to mock and taunteth? Thine family dost appeareth sent to Camelot from yon bowels of Hades naught but to causeth me shame and grief."

"Yeah," Ben agreed. "My cousin Jacen is good at that."

"Verily."

"But I don't want to do that," Ben explained quickly. "I want to help you."

"Truly? Dost thou knowest where Morgana keepth my Queen, Guinevere?"

Ben frowned at the knight. "Who?"

"Morgana tis a sorceress most wicked. She hast stealeth away both Guinevere and Jacen's fairie off-spring, Allana."

This news surprised Ben, but he kept his expression neutral. "I can probably find them, if you help me."

"What manner of assistance dost thou asketh?"

"I need you to show me where this magic sword is kept."

Lancelot's face grew wary. "Sword?"

"It's called Excalibur. Have you heard of it?"

"None shall retain Excalibur but the rightful King. Ne'er shall I taketh thee to the place it safely abides."

Ben lowered his voice, and slowly waved his hand at Lancelot. "But we can't help Guinevere unless we have it."

"Can't help Guinevere unless we have it," Lancelot repeated slowly.

"It's important."

"It's important."

"You'll take me to Excalibur."

Lancelot nodded grimly. "Take you to Excalibur I shall."

* * *

Cecil eventually led Han and Leia to a beautiful lake, so sparkling and blue it seemed to draw them forward.

"I don't think I've ever seen such a pretty lake," Leia said. "It's incredibly still, almost like a mirror."

"I don't see a lady hanging around," Han commented. "Is Cecil sure it's the right lake?"

The creature gave an indignant bark.

"She's positive," Leia said. "Cecil needs to call her to come."

Cecil tilted her long neck up, and let loose with an eerie wail that went on and on. Nearly a minute later, the lake started to ripple, and then swirl around in a circle, while the center remained untouched and still. Suddenly, a water fountain shot straight up from the center, reaching up a hundred feet or more. As the water slowly receded, an ethereal form of a woman with long, loose blonde hair appeared. She floated above the water, her gossamer dress the same shimmering blue as the lake.

"The Lady of the Lake," Leia whispered in awe.

"She lives up to her name," Han commented. "Ask her what she wants us to bring her. I can come up with a case of good Whyren's Reserve."

"I doubt she wants your whiskey, Han."

"Hey," Han protested. "That stuff is valuable. She might appreciate getting sloshed in a different way than she normally does."

"Thou seeketh to bring back thy loved ones," the Lady spoke.

Leia wasn't certain if she was hearing the words with her mind or her ears, but it was obvious by Han's expression he heard, too. "Yes. We have family that left us too soon."

"For each soul that entereth, each can returneth with but one soul departed."

"So that means we can only bring back either Mara and Anakin, or Anakin and Chewie?" Han asked.

"Unless we go in with three," Leia said. "Then three more can come out?"

"Verily," the Lady responded. "But for each soul that hast already left this plain, I must receiveth a gift in exchange for their departure from the Mists. For thee to bring forth three members, three gifts I must be giveth."

"What kind of presents are you interested in?" Han asked. "Credits?"

"For Anakin, I demandth a Spirit of Power. For Mara, a Beloved Home in the Sky. For the one thou callest Tenel Ka, a Heart of Stone is what I asketh."

"Tenel Ka?" Han repeated. "What about Chewie?"

"He is in another Realm, to which I cannot open a portal."

Leia touched Han's arm, sensing his pain at not being able to retrieve his best friend. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Han said gruffly, fighting back his renewed pain at not being able to help Chewie. "Let's concentrate on what we can do, not what we can't." He turned his attention back to the Lady. "Can you be a bit clearer about what you're talking about? What kind of heart and spirit? Or home? This is kinda vague if you ask me."

"All shall be understood inside the Mists." And with that, the water rose back up to the sky, then quickly retreated. The Lady was gone, and the lake was once again still.

* * *

Lancelot led the young man through the cold corridors of the palace. They finally reached a thick wooden door, and Lancelot indicated they should stop. "Inside the King's chapel lies the mighty Excalibur. Tis guarded by powers greater than even thine, young Ben of Coruscant."

"I doubt that," Ben replied, pulling on the door handle. "Locked."

"Only King Arthur retaineth the key."

"I don't need a key," Ben responded, drawing out his lightsaber.

Lancelot's expression grew alarmed. "Thou intendeth to draw forth the sun's power again?"

"Yes, I sure do." Ben flicked on his saber, ignoring Lancelot's gasp. He pushed the blade easily through the lock, then gave the door a shove. It swung open, revealing a small room with rows of benches. Various vases and jeweled crowns filled shelves that lined the walls. "See? Easy." On an altar covered in heavy red cloth rested a golden sword. Even though the room was dimly lit, the sword seemed to radiate with light. Ben quickly covered the few steps, and reverently touched the jeweled handle. "It's beautiful. I can feel the Force pulsating from it."

"I fear the King shan't understandeth my motives art pure and true," Lancelot mumbled nervously. "Perchance I maketh a terrible mistake."

"Tis the last mistake thou shall maketh," Lanval cried out from the open doorway. He pulled out his metal weapon. "Draw forth thy sword, traitor, and alloweth me to strike thee down in the name of King Arthur!"

"Wait!" Luke yelled. "This isn't in the plan…"

Knight Lanval paid no attention to Luke, and swung his blade at Lancelot, knocking some pottery off a shelf. It hit the stone floor, shattering into small pieces.

Lancelot was caught off-guard, and barely rolled away in time from Lanval's blow. "Thou callest me a traitor?" Lancelot yelled indignantly from the floor. "Thou hast brought all the sorcerers here!"

"Only to dispatch thee, and rescue my Queen," Lanval replied, circling around a bench to get closer to Lancelot.

"My intent was to dispatch the sorcerers and rescue the Queen, as well." Lancelot got to his feet, drawing his weapon. "Two of King Arthur's best and mightiest shall maketh short work of them."

Lanval stepped back, putting himself between Lancelot and Jaina. "Thou shan't cause harm to my betrothed."

"I never said we were actually engaged," Jaina protested weakly as both knights continued their clash.

Jacen stepped forward, looking between the golden sword and his young cousin. "I need that to get Allana back from Morgana."

Ben picked up Excalibur. "NO! I need this to get Mom back."

"Listen to me," Jacen said. "That wasn't your mother. It was Morgana, pretending to be your mom."

"Liar!" The younger Skywalker swung Excalibur at Jacen, managing to knock a bench over in the process.

"Ben!" Luke yelled at his son. "Put that thing down before someone gets hurt."

"He's got to pay for becoming a Sith," Ben shot back, raising the sword above his head.

Jacen had no choice but to turn on his lightsaber as Ben lowered the golden cleaver, and metal briefly intersected with the intense power of Jacen's laser. A brilliant flash of light encompassed both Jedi, and then just as quickly dissipated.

The knights stopped battling, and the Jedi stared in shock at the jewel-encrusted handle in Ben's grip – all that remained of Excalibur.

"I think you broke it," Jaina chastised her brother.

* * *

"Do you have any clue what to make of those gifts?" Han asked his wife as he sat behind her, on Cecil's back. The creature had volunteered to give them a ride toward the village, although she had warned them she couldn't be seen. The ride was quite different than a horse, more of a steady, wave-like motion. It was making Han feel a little sea-sick, but he was determined not to admit that.

"Not a bit," Leia replied. "But I do know we need more than just the two of us." She looked down at the back of Cecil's head. "We need to take three inside the Mists. Three people can go in, three more can exit. I'm the one going after Anakin. Jacen should go after Tenel Ka, and Luke should go get Mara."

"That's fine, but why should you go after Anakin?"

"I'm his mother."

"And I'm his father," Han protested. "I was just as close to him as you were."

"But I'm a Jedi."

Han got a stubborn look across his face. "Is that one of the requirements?"

Cecil gave a short series of barks in response to Han's question.

"No…" Leia interpreted reluctantly.

"So it's _got_ to be me," he insisted. "I can't take the chance of losing you."

"But – "

"And I'm the one that has to make amends with Anakin," Han interrupted his wife. "This is something I _need _to do."

Leia took a deep breath. She wanted to continue arguing, but she also knew from long experience that Han was completely determined, and it was an argument she would eventually lose. "Why don't we find everyone first, then decide?"

"Fine," Han said. "But I'm the one going in the Mists after our boy, not you."

* * *

"What hast thou done?" Lanval cried out, dropping to his knees and clutching his heart. "Thou destroyeth Excalibur!"

"All the metal is gone," Ben said in awe, turning the handle over in grip. "Where could it have gone?" He looked around on the floor, but nothing was there.

"Maybe it dissolved?" Jacen questioned.

"I've never heard of disappearing metal," Luke remarked, helping his son search the floor. "It should be here, even if it's just a melted blob."

"The King shall have all our heads," Lancelot moaned. "Thy sun sticks surely be drawn from yon caldrons of Beelzebub."

"Maybe Morgana will be happy with just the handle," Ben suggested hopefully.

"If you'd get over your obsession with killing me, this wouldn't have happened," Jacen shot out. "Now what will we trade for Allana? Maybe you?"

"This isn't my fault," Ben shouted back. "You're the Sith! I don't believe you've reformed for one second."

"Now who's been blinded by hatred?" Jacen asked calmly.

"I have good reason to hate you, Darth Caedus."

Jacen snatched the jeweled hilt from Ben's fingers. "I'm going after Allana. I don't need anyone's help."

"Thou sorcerers shan't leave my sight for nary a moment," Lancelot stated.

"This will go faster without your interference," Jacen replied. He turned to address Luke. "We should lock them inside this room so they can't follow us."

"If we leave them here, they might start fighting again," Luke said.

"Knight Lanval doth holdeth nary a single hope against me, Sir Lancelot, greatest knight in King Arthur's court," Lancelot bragged.

"Ne'er hast I fallen off my steed in battle," Lanval said haughtily.

"Ne'er hast thou faced in battle a sorcerer of evil treachery!"

"You're right, Uncle Luke. They might kill each other," Jaina warned.

"Not without their weapons," Luke responded, using the Force to pull both swords from the startled Knights' grasp. "I do agree that Allana's life is in danger, and we need to hurry."

The Jedi hurried to leave the room, ignoring one last heartfelt plea from Lanval, "Fair Jaina, if thou shan't be mine for eternity, I shall desireth naught to live!"

"Why me?" Jaina muttered as she helped Luke secure the wooden door by melting the metal hinges with their lightsabers.

"Maybe it's those special Solo pheromones," Luke deadpanned.

"What does _that _mean?"

"He means, you stink," Ben said with a laugh, running down the corridor to escape his cousin.

* * *

"Wait," Leia said suddenly, patting Cecil on her neck. The creature stopped, craning her long neck to peer quizzically up at the Princess.

"Why are we stopping?" Han asked.

"I can feel Allana," Leia murmured. "She's close, and she's frightened." Leia looked around, then noticed a shadowed hill in the distance. "She's over there."

Cecil gave a startled bray, and shook her head.

"What's she sayin'?" Han questioned.

"An Evil One lives over there," Leia replied. "I can feel it, too."

"All the more reason to take a detour," Han said. "Our only grandkid is in trouble."

Leia grinned back over her shoulder. "Our only grandchild? Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure of anything, anymore," Han said with a sigh. "But if Jaina's hiding a kid from us, Fel is dead meat." He waved toward the spooky hill. "Come on, Cecil… let's go."

The creature held fast, unmoving.

"She won't go closer to the hill," Leia told Han. "She says she'll wait for us here if we still want to go into the Mists."

Han frowned. "Of course we still want to go. But Allana comes first." He slid off Cecil's back, and helped his wife dismount. "It's not that far of a hike, so we can walk."

Cecil gave a worried woof, then hurried off into the woods, leaving Han and Leia standing alone.

"I don't think she's expecting us to return," Leia said.

"That's a comforting thought."

As Leia and Han moved closer to the hill, the trees became thicker, blocking out the sunlight, and the temperature dropped. The incline got steadily steeper, and the footing became slippery and treacherous, forcing them to walk slowly. A heavy dead branch suddenly gave way, dropping downward. Leia pushed Han out of the way, and used the Force to alter the limb's trajectory. It hit with a hard thud, and put a deep furrow in the dirt where it landed.

"Wow," Han commented, scratching his head. "That was a close call. What are the odds that would've fallen right then?"

"Astronomical," Leia said. "It wasn't an accident. Someone sent that as a warning."

"The evil one?"

"I'd have to say that's a good guess."

"Since we've tangled with evil ones before, I don't think a little branch is gonna stop us," Han commented, gazing up at the swaying branches. "It doesn't look like any of these trees are too healthy."

Leia gripped her lightsaber handle tighter. "Let's keep going."

They kept moving, and a light rain started falling. "It was sunny and not a cloud in the sky when we entered these woods a few minutes ago," Han complained as the cold rain got more intense, and it became even harder to see. "I wish we had rain gear."

"Do you hear that?" Leia asked, gripping Han's arm.

The Corellian strained to listen. "Some kind of animal noise?"

"No… it sounds like a child crying."

"Allana?" Han asked, growing more worried. "It sounds like it's coming from behind us." He started to turn, but Leia stopped him.

"It's a trick," Leia said. "We're being lured back the way we came."

Han's eyes narrowed in anger. "I can't wait to get my blaster sights on this 'evil one'. No one messes with the Solos. Or kidnaps our kids."

"Our kids were kidnapped all the time, Han," Leia reminded her husband.

"Yeah, and they all paid for it, didn't they?" He sighed and squinted through the rain. "At least it's not snowing." No sooner did the words leave his mouth when the rain changed to hail, pelting them painfully and mercilessly.

"Sure, Han," Leia grumbled. "Give the evil one ideas, why don't you?"

"It's not my fault!"

Leia sighed. "I've never heard that before, have I?"

"Not lately," Han rejoined as he pointed. "I see a cave over there. We can take shelter there until this stops." He hurried forward, motioning his wife to follow.

They stopped just inside, trying to peer further inside the blackness. "Turn on your lightsaber," Han suggested. "Then we'll be able to see."

The Princess flicked on the glowing weapon, and raised it above her head. "This is a big cave." She pointed to the floor. "Those look like stone steps leading down."

"I think – " Han started to say, when suddenly a massive cloud of flying creatures swooped toward them, brushing their heads and screeching loudly as they rushed at the exit. "What in the ….?"

"Duck!" Leia yelled, pushing Han toward the ground.

They lay, heads covered, for long minutes. Finally the creatures were gone, and they slowly got to their feet.

"I don't like this planet very much," Han muttered, trying to wipe dark glop off his shirt. He sniffed his fingers. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Han…"

"This is just disgusting," Han griped.

"Listen!" Leia ordered sharply, tilting her head. "I hear someone crying. It sounds like a child."

"Is it Allana, or another trick?"

"I believe it is Allana this time."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Han demanded as he hurried down the stairs. "Come on!"

"We might want to make a plan…" Leia yelled after her husband, then threw up her hands in defeat. "Plan?" she asked sarcastically in the darkness. "Who needs a plan? Certainly not us."

* * *

Using the Force to disguise themselves, the four Jedi left the confines of the small village unnoticed. They moved quickly into the woods, and tracked the Force-signature of Allana toward a gray, mist-covered hill.

"The darkside is strong from that place," Luke commented.

Jacen nodded in agreement. "Morgana would have made a good Sith."

"Mynocks know each other by their smell," Ben mumbled, loud enough that everyone heard.

Jacen swung around to face his cousin, his expression darkening. "What does that mean?"

"Ben," Luke quickly interrupted. "We don't have time for arguments."

"Mom and Dad have been this way recently," Jaina told the group. "They must've figured out Allana's in trouble."

Luke concentrated on his twin sister. "You're right. And I'd say Han and Leia are in big trouble now, too."

* * *

"Han!" Leia called out as she hurried to catch up. "Wait for me! You can't even see in this dark." There was no response. "Han? Answer me… this isn't funny." She headed around a bend in the cave's corridor where Han had disappeared a few seconds earlier. The lightsaber lit up the space, showing a large room filled with strangely shaped stalagmites and stalactites. But there was no sign of Han Solo. "HAN?"

A shadow moved out from behind a rock, and a figure stepped out. "It seemeth the entire Solo family hast decided to visit my humble abode," the woman said softly.

Leia held her lightsaber up in a defensive stance. "Where are Han and Allana? What have you done to them?"

The raven-haired woman smiled, and waved her hand at the rocks. "Why, nothing. Nothing at all." Three of the stalagmites started glowing from inside, and suddenly Leia could see inside the rocks the trapped and motionless figures of Han, Allana, and a woman she did not recognize.

--


	8. Chapter 8

"Out of my way," Lancelot grumbled as the two men struggled to push the heavy door open. "Thou art a dim-witted jester."

Lanval drew back, offended. "Thou callest _me_ a jester? Didst all village eyes witnesseth Knight Lanval fall from his steed, nary once, but _twice_?"

Lancelot turned around and gave Lanval a shove. "I demandth thou cease telling that tale! Knight Jacen be a sorcerer, and what mortal man canst standeth his ground against black magic?"

"I witnessed naught magic, black nor otherwise," Lanval rejoined hotly. "Thou needeth to excuse thine failure."

"Thou shan't calleth Lancelot a failure!" Lancelot cried out bitterly. "It passeth naught my notice that fair Jaina reject thy pathetic musings, Sir Lanval!"

Lanval huffed and spluttered before finally formulating a response. "Every man in the Roundtable knowest of thy betrayal of King Arthur! All save but the King, I hasten to add."

"I fail to understandeth what thou art babbling about," Lancelot said haughtily. "Thou art fortunate I holdeth nary a weapon, but would I slice off thy tongue for speaketh such wicked lies!"

"I needeth nary a weapon," Lanval shot back, raising his fists in a fighting stance.

The men threw themselves into slugging each other, which was to Lancelot's initial advantage since he was still wearing armor and Lanval wasn't. But Lanval used his greater mobility, and sent Lancelot crashing to the floor, where the tussle continued unabated. Neither man noticed the door opening, until a pitcher of cold water splashed over their faces. They turned and gazed up at a bemused Merlin the Wizard.

"It appeareth that thy wizards from far-off lands hast bested the King's best," Merlin stated dryly, watching the men hurry to their feet.

"That may appearth to be true," Lancelot replied. "Still, I intendeth to rescue fair Queen, and redeemeth myself before our King."

"Yes," Lanval muttered sarcastically. "That tis the reason thou desireth to rescue Lady Guinevere."

"And I shall come with thee, Lancelot, and destroy yon invaders," Merlin hissed out.

Lanval looked alarmed. "Surly thou intendeth no harm to fair Jaina! She hath cast nary a spell, evil or otherwise."

"Jaina rejecteth thy proposal," Merlin pointed out sagely as he waved his fingers. "She deserveth naught to live for an evil slight to a worthy man such as thee."

"She deserveth naught to live," Lanval repeated dully. "Rue the day she slighteth me."

"Of course she shall," Merlin said soothingly. "We must hurry. The strangers hast a lengthy lead upon our pursuit."

* * *

The sight of her husband and granddaughter encased in stone took Leia's breath away. "If you've killed them, it'll be the last thing you ever do," Leia gasped, trying to keep from shaking with fear and rage.

"Oh, they are not dead," the woman replied. "They can see and hear everything, and they shall watch, helpless, as I do the same to you." She raised her hands, and a ball of yellow light appeared in both palms. Then she threw the orbs at the Princess, laughing.

Leia dropped to one knee, and with fast reflexes deflected the crackling balls of light with her saber, sending them smashing into the wall. The energy disbursed, but not before the Princess could see that all of the strange stone shapes held a trapped person inside. "Who are all these people?"

The woman shook her head in surprise at Leia's abilities, but recovered her wits quickly. "Those that wandered uninvited into my cave. They are trapped because of their own foolish curiosity."

"Who are you?" Leia questioned, standing.

"Morgana, sister of King Arthur, and rightful heir to Camelot," the woman replied. "It is your son's failure to hold up his part of our bargain that hath brought my wrath upon thy family."

"My son does have a way of annoying people," Leia agreed. "Perhaps you should take up your issues with him directly, instead of involving innocent people."

"As soon as he arrives, I shall endeavor to do that," Morgana said. "I shall have Jacen of Coruscant begging my forgiveness. In the meantime, alleviate thee of thy light sword, I shall." Morgana reached out, and Leia felt her saber rip from her grasp and sail into the woman's outstretched hand. "Thou shouldn't have prevented me from placing thee inside stone, for now I shall be forced to kill the woman who spawned the traitor known as Jacen."

Morgana raised Leia's own weapon, and stalked toward the Princess. Leia quickly moved behind a stone pillar, watching in horror as Morgana swung the blade and cut the stone in half. The top portion of a local teenage boy tumbled out, his unseeing eyes dimming as his life-force dissipated.

Leia felt ill as she both felt and witnessed the stranger's death. "He was just a young man…"

"His blood is upon thy hands, Mother of Jacen," Morgana ground out, uncaring. "Hide behind others, and thou shalt cause their demise, as well." Again she raised the humming blade, and this time Leia stood her ground, refusing to be the cause of more innocent lives being taken by this evil woman.

Morgana swung at Leia, and a bright green blade blocked her from striking the Princess down. She swung around, her eyes blazing as she faced this new threat. The man responsible for blocking her stood next to her, radiating calm and strength as he held his saber up. Behind him stood a young woman, the young boy she had fooled earlier into believing she was his mother, and Jacen.

All three ignited their own lightsabers. "Four against one?" Morgana asked, her voice betraying her sudden panic. "Is this a common practice among your kind?"

"Strength lies in numbers," Luke replied. "I'd highly suggest you turn off Leia's lightsaber, if you want to live to see another day."

Instead, Morgana flung the glowing blade at the stone-encased body of Allana.

"NO!" Jacen cried, reaching out with his own saber to block the weapon's trajectory. The tip of the blade barely nicked Leia's stolen sword, but that nick was enough that it sent the thrown lightsaber spinning away from Allana's form. It struck the very top edge of another stalagmite, sending a chuck of the magical rock crashing down and away from the frozen expression of the woman trapped inside. The pretty lady fell out from her stone encasement, and dropped to her knees in shock.

Morgana whipped her head around to watch the lightsaber as it struck the far wall and fell to the ground, deactivating in the process. "Lady Guinevere," Morgana said with a sneer. "Back among the living so soon?"

Luke took advantage of Morgana's distraction, and quickly placed his humming blade under the sorcerer's chin. "Free the rest of your prisoners, and you can live."

"Free them yourself," Morgana snarled. Just then, the cave started trembling, and large sections of the roof started to let loose.

"Use the Force to direct the rocks away from the trapped people," Luke instructed. Luke, Leia, Ben and Jaina quickly obeyed Luke's order, but Jacen had other plans. Instead of pushing the rocks toward the empty spaces on the ground, Jacen sent the largest sections directly over toward Morgana, grinning manically as he watched her struggle to keep the boulders from hitting her, while not completely succeeding. The chucks that found their mark left nasty gashes in the woman's flesh, and blood began soaking her clothing.

"Did you really think I'd allow you to harm my child?" Jacen growled at the increasingly frightened and battered woman. "Did you think there wouldn't be a payback? I could have been your greatest ally. I might have even helped you overthrow Arthur, if I thought you were worth the effort." Jacen shook his head in disgust as the last rock thudded harmlessly to the ground. "You're nothing but a second rate witch, and your powers are a joke."

"I'm second rate?" Morgana screeched. "Watch this, you whelp!" The woman threw a yellow orb at Jacen, intent on encasing her greatest enemy in stone, but she underestimated the power of the man she'd taught all those years ago. Jacen easily caught the light in his fist and sent the yellow orb back in Morgana's direction, and when the bright light faded, to everyone's shock, Morgana stood frozen inside her own stalagmite. Almost immediately, the other rock cones fractured, freeing the people trapped inside.

"Daddy!" Allana yelled, rushing toward Jacen and throwing her arms around his waist. "You saved me."

"Of course. I would never let anyone harm you," Jacen said, turning to Luke and the others. "Thanks. This might have taken longer without your help."

Leia helped Han over to the group. "How did you know how to turn Morgana into stone?"

"I didn't know," Jacen replied with a shrug. "I just turned her own power against her, and she turned herself into stone."

"It sure looked like you knew what you were doing," Ben said suspiciously. "And it looked like the dark side, if you ask me."

"I'm not asking you," Jacen said, clenching his jaw as he glared at his cousin.

"But I am," Luke inserted. "I told you to send the rocks _away_ from people, and instead you sent them at Morgana."

"She needed to be stopped. I stopped her."

"You disobeyed my direct order."

Most of the people who had been trapped had already rushed out of the cave, but one woman remained behind. "Jacen of Coruscant, thou art my savior," Guinevere said softly, moving closer to Jacen and taking his arm. "Whatever disobedience thou hast done, it seemeth to be necessary."

Jacen grinned smugly. "See? The Queen herself agrees with me."

"You're probably influencing her mind," Jaina muttered.

"Just like you influenced Lanval's mind?" Jacen shot back hotly. "But I doubt Lanval has a mind, if he likes a tease like you."

"A tease?" Jaina shouted back. "I'm not a tease!"

"Try telling Zekk or Jag that."

"Kids," Han inserted firmly. "We don't have time for name-calling right now. Cecil's waiting for us."

"Cecil?" Luke questioned his brother-in-law, confusion flickering across his face. "Who is Cecil?"

"A very, very strange creature," Han explained.

"She's got a crush on Han," Leia put in with a laugh, much to Han's chagrin.

"That makes her strange, alright," Jaina agreed.

Han gave his daughter a long-suffering glare, and continued, "She looks sorta like a krayt dragon, but with fur, and can communicate with Leia mentally. Cecil took us to see a woman that lives in inside a lake."

Luke and Ben exchanged confused looks. "Has Uncle Han been drinking, or did he suffer brain damage trapped inside the rock?"

"BEN!" Luke said, appalled. "You don't say things like that about your elders!"

"I'm not elderly," Han protested. "Cecil is going to guide us to the other side, wherever the heck that is, and the Lake Lady will let us bring back our loved ones to the land of the living."

"Is Dad telling us the truth?" Jaina asked her mother. "Mara and Anakin can be brought back to life? What about Chewie?"

"Unfortunately, she can't take us to where Chewie is," Leia explained. "But another problem is the Lady of the Lake wants gifts in exchange for allowing us to bring back our family members. We just can't figure out what a gift of the heart, home and spirit means."

"Maybe the Force will help us figure that out," Ben said eagerly. "Let's go… I can't wait to find Mom and bring her back."

"My mommy, too," Allana said, tugging on Jacen's hand. "Right, Daddy?"

Jacen looked down at his child. "Don't get your hopes up, Allana," the younger Solo commented, his expression less than enthusiastic. "I've never heard of anyone being able to bring dead people back to life, and I'm pretty sure I know every trick in the book."

"Not even the great Jacen knows everything," Ben remarked as he headed out of the cave, holding the hilt of Excalibur in his hand, and staring thoughtfully at the broken sword. "I can't wait until Mom gets her chance at you again."

Luke sighed, watching his son head off. "I don't know what to do about Ben."

"Just keep him away from Allana," Jacen snapped out. "Let's go find this love-sick monster, and see how much of this nonsense is actually true."

"What shall become of me?" Lady Guinevere asked worriedly. "Surely thou shan't be considering sending me back alone to Camelot?"

"You can come with us," Leia told the woman. "We'll take you home later."

Guinevere smiled. "Thou art most generous. King Arthur shall rewardeth thee much gold and gemstones for thy bravery."

"I love a good reward," Han grumbled sarcastically as he trudged after the two women. "It always turns out to be worth all the risks."

"Are you saying I wasn't worth the risk on the Death Star, all those years ago?" Leia asked innocently.

"I never said there wasn't an occasional exception to the rule."

* * *

Merlin pulled on the reins of his horse, pointing up at the misty hill. "Look up there… the strange sorcerers holdeth our Queen in their midst."

"Verily," Lancelot agreed. "Lady Guinevere tis now in a most grave danger, and yon evil strangers vastly outnumber the good."

"Numbers they may hold, but faileth to trow that we follow," Merlin responded. "Stealth shall be our best asset, and striketh them dead when they suspecteth naught."

Lanval looked unhappily at the far-away group. "Sweet Jaina… had but only thou agreeth to my humble request, thee shan't be so near to thy end."

The three local humans followed the strangers as closely as they dared, not wanting to lose sight of their quarry, while at the same time, hoping they wouldn't be seen. Merlin assured the two wary knights that his magic would keep them invisible to the sorcerers' eyes, but the knights had their doubts. All that was quickly forgotten when, hiding behind a fallen tree, they watched in horror and outrage as the Beast Glatisant appeared from the dense forest and greeted the strangers like a tame dog would greet its owner.

"Forsooth!" Lanval muttered in shock. "Canst my eyes beholdeth the truth? The very beast every knight in King Arthur's realm hast sought now cavorts with yon strangers?"

Sir Lancelot was more concerned with something else entirely. "Queen Guinevere tis standing far closer than seemly to Knight Jacen. And why dost she keep taking his arm like a lover might? Jacen shall surely rue the day he was born, when I am through."

Lanval looked amused. "After thou faileth to best him in a fair battle, it seemeth to me Jacen hath little to fear from thee."

The other man quickly put his blade under Lanval's jaw. "Thou shall recant thy insult, or face my wrath!"

"Put away thy sword," Merlin grumbled. "Glatisant tis a wicked and cunning creature. He may yet destroyeth and devour yon strangers, and save us our own trouble in doing so."

"They outnumber the Beast," Lancelot pointed out, as he sheathed his sword.

"For now, that is true," Merlin agreed. "But the Beast may lead them into its den, where others of its kind canst bring it aid."

"Speaketh thee true?" Lanval asked, alarmed and looking around in concern. "More of this Beast's kin lurk about?"

"Unless the Beast was conjured, surely there art more."

They watched in silence as the group of humans followed the Beast into the forest.

"I feareth naught one nor one hundred of such Beasts," Lancelot declared, puffing out his chest as he stood up. "Slay them all I shall, and I shall bring back their heads, strung out on a long cord for my King's pleasure." Without waiting for a response, he hurried down the hill to catch up before the strangers got too far away.

"Lancelot annoyeth to yon ends of known earth," Lanval said in disgust.

"Truly, thou speaketh for all," Merlin replied. "Except, perchance, save one."

Lanval wondered if Merlin knew about the rumors concerning Lancelot and Guinevere, but he dared not come out and ask directly.

* * *

"I like Cecil," Allana declared firmly as she rode on top of Cecil's back. "Can we take her home with us, Daddy?"

Jacen frowned, then shook his head. "This is her home, and I doubt she'll want to leave."

Allana patted Cecil's neck. "She says she'd love to see the stars up close. Why can't you hear her, Daddy?"

"Yes, Jacen," Ben injected into the conversation. "Everyone can 'hear' Cecil except Han and Guinevere, but they have a good excuse. What's yours?"

"I don't talk to animals anymore," Jacen said, keeping his tone neutral.

"Cecil is a sentient," Jaina pointed out. "I wouldn't qualify her as an animal, just a mammal."

"We're all mammals," Luke said, craning his neck to address Allana. "The Force flows through every living creature, whether they are sentient, or not."

"You can't stop, can you?" Jacen asked his uncle. "She's my child, not yours. I'll be the one to teach her the ways of the Force."

"At this point, I don't think you qualify as a Jedi Master," Luke said.

"And who makes this determination… you?"

Ben barked out a short laugh. "If you couldn't brainwash me, you'll find someone younger that you _can_ brainwash."

Jacen clenched his fists, and his nostrils flared. "You are really pushing me, Ben. My patience with you is about at its end."

"Good," Ben returned. "Then your true colors will finally come out, and everyone will see I'm right."

Han pushed between the two. "Give it a rest." He turned to Ben. "Listen, kid, I don't blame you for not trusting Jacen, but you gotta admit he hasn't done anything Sithly at all since we've been on this planet. If you don't let go of this anger, we'll never patch this family back together again."

"He killed my mom! I'll never forgive him for that!"

Guinevere, who had remained silent for a long time, grew wide-eyed as she stared at Jacen. "Thou hast slain this young man's mother?"

"She attacked me," Jacen said defensively, sensing the Queen's admiration dissolve away. "It was self-defense!"

"My mom was only trying to protect me," Ben argued. "Jacen is using self-defense as a lame excuse for his own evil. He's not sorry for anything he's ever done." He glared at Han. "He even tried to kill you and Aunt Leia."

"Vader killed your grandmother, and he killed everyone that both Luke and Leia knew and loved," Han shot back. "And when he turned back into Anakin Skywalker, your dad and your aunt forgave him. If you ask me, you've been the one acting Sithly on this little adventure, not Jacen. We're on our way to get your mom back, and I guarantee you she's not gonna be happy about how you've been behaving."

"She's going to be _proud_ of me," Ben yelled back. "And she's going to finish what she started when she sees Cadeus is still alive and fooling everyone with his big act, too."

"We'll see," Jacen said tightly.

"Yeah, we will."

Leia sighed and held up her hand. "Stop this arguing, all of you. If you care, Cecil says we're here."

Everyone looked around, noting that this place didn't look any different than the rest of the woods, other than the fact they had stopped next to a steep, rocky cliff which rose straight up for several hundred feet.

"I thought the entry point was a place called the Mists," Han finally remarked.

Cecil gently placed Allana on the ground, then nodded toward the cliff. Luke walked over and put his fingers over a small, oval crevasse about chest high. "This is the way inside."

Han leaned forward, peering at the hole. "I don't know about you, but I'm way too big to fit." He grinned at Leia. "Maybe I could smoosh you inside there, since you're pretty little."

"Is that another short joke?" Leia asked, glaring up at Han. "Those short jokes are getting almost as old as you are."

The creature gave a short bark.

"Excalibur," Jaina said excitedly. "Cecil wants us to use Excalibur!"

Ben held up the handle of the sword. "But it's broken."

"Maybe not," Luke said, taking the handle from his son. He looked carefully at the jeweled hilt, and then at the hole before pushing the handle into the opening. The wall began trembling, and rocks began raining down, forcing the group to back away from the cliff. Then, with a tremendous groan, the wall cracked apart revealing a narrow, dark corridor. A cold mist roiled out from the opening, and a flash of lightning briefly lit up the interior of the stony hallway. From what they could see, the eerie, misty corridor went on and on, with no end in sight.

"Cecil says this is the entry to the Mists, and she can guide us to the end of the corridor," Leia told Han. "After that, we have to find our loved ones ourselves, as well as give the Lady her gifts in exchange for bringing them back."

"But we still don't know what gifts the Lady wants," Jaina said.

"And we haven't decided who is going to the other side," Luke added. "But I know that I'm the one that has to bring Mara back."

"I'm bringing back Tenel Ka," Jacen said.

"So now you suddenly believe?" Ben asked his cousin. "A little while ago, you said there wasn't any way to bring back the dead."

"I'm going after Anakin," both Han and Jaina said at the exact same time.

Han shook his head. "No way, Jaina. Your mom can't be in the position to lose both you and Jacen at the same time. It's me that's going in."

"Both you and mom have been in that position countless times," Jaina argued. "Mom needs you as much as she needs me."

"I don't think so."

"I _am_ standing right here," Leia said, annoyed. "I'm the one that should be going in after Anakin."

"We already discussed this," Han shot back. "This one is my job, sweetheart."

Luke spoke up, "Cecil is telling me that if we don't go in the corridor soon, the entry will close and we won't be able to reopen it for at least another year."

"Is the corridor going to crush us?" Han asked, suddenly getting worried about being flattened between tons of rocks. Visions of the garbage masher came flooding back into his mind.

"No," Luke reassured his brother-in-law. "Once we're inside, it will remain open until we exit, or the second night ends, whichever comes first." He motioned Cecil to lead the way. "Come on, Jacen. It's time to enter the Mists."

While Luke gave his son a quick hug, Jacen bent over to kiss his daughter. "You listen to your grandmother while I'm gone, and be good."

The creature bobbed her long neck before cautiously stepping into the Mists, and was followed closely by Luke and Jacen.

Han and Leia gazed evenly at each other. "I have the Force to protect me," Leia said firmly. "I'm going."

"I've survived plenty of things without being able to use the Force," Han returned. "I'm the one going."

"Uh, Aunt Leia? Uncle Han?" Ben said casually. "Jaina just followed Jacen into the Mists, so you can stop arguing about who's going. She's gone."

--


	9. Chapter 9

Merlin the Magician ducked quickly behind a rock, pushing the two knights back with his wand. "The strangers doth locate the enchanted portal!"

"Portal?" Lanval questioned, squinting to see through the gloom. "What be this portal thou speaketh?"

"Far-off rumor hath reached my ear that such a place existeth," Merlin continued, barely listening to Lanval in his excitement. "Tis the entry way to both Avalon, and Hades. Our enemies must be summoning yon Demons to aid them in destroying Camelot."

"How can it be both the entry to Heaven and Hell?" Lancelot asked. "Surely such places fall far apart."

"Verily," Merlin agreed, nodding. "But the place of beginning is one and the same. Consider that we all start out as infants, pure and untouched by wickedness. From this single point, the decisions we maketh lead one direction or other."

"Taketh time to return with Demons." Lancelot said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "This turn of events may bode well for us, indeed. Now all that remaineth behind is the young boy, a girl-child, a helpless female and an elderly male. Rescuing Guinevere from such a ragged lot shan't be a bit of trouble." He drew out his sword. "Removeth their heads, I shall, before they become aware of any danger."

Lanval looked appalled. "Removeth their heads? The head of the girl-child, even?"

"She undoubtedly tis a girl-child in form only. She casteth charms upon Lady Guinevere, and surely must be a spellbinder; therefore death be the only way to break her enchantment."

"I concur," Merlin stated firmly. "Eliminate these stragglers, and wait for the Demons to re-emerge. The exit tis quite narrow, and we canst dispatch them one by one as they emerge from their fiery lair."

"Barely canst I believeth that sweet Jaina tis a she-demon," Lanval moaned. "It shall be with a heavy heart when I displace her pretty head from her milky soft shoulders."

"Come, let us hurry," Merlin cajoled the two knights.

"Rescue is but moments away, my dear Guinevere," Lancelot declared firmly.

* * *

The further into the Mists Luke, Jacen and Jaina traveled, the colder the air became. Not only colder, but the mist became heavier with each step, until it was impossible to even see an inch in front of your face. But the worst part was that the Force was wavering, shifting in and out of focus like an oscillating beam of light. It was very disconcerting.

Cecil traveled along at a brisk pace, mentally encouraging her followers not to linger. Then, quite suddenly, the mist was gone, and a blast of heat struck Luke in the face. Cecil had come to an abrupt halt, and Luke held out his arm, stopping Jacen and Jaina from going further, which would have been a huge mistake. They were now standing on the top edge of a yawning canyon, and the only way across was a long rickety, wooden bridge that stretched from where they stood to the opposite side. But the bridge wasn't the worst part; it was the bubbling red lava flowing _under_ the bridge that concerned Luke.

"This looks like fun," Jaina said, carefully looking over the edge. "It might be safer to levitate across."

"Even a Jedi can't levitate that far," Jacen said worriedly.

"Well, on the bright side, it looks quite nice over there," Luke commented, his eyes fixed on the far side of the bridge. Indeed, while the side they were currently standing on was hot, smoky, rocky and barren, the opposite edge of the canyon showed tall stands of green pine trees and a sparkling blue sky overhead. Cecil gave a wuff, and Luke nodded his understanding. "Cecil says the opposite side is where we will find our loved ones. She calls it The Land of the Blessed."

"Will this bridge hold us?" Jaina questioned the creature, listening as she replied.

"What did she say?" Jacen demanded.

"The bridge holds up the Worthy, but it won't support the Wicked."

"It doesn't look like it could hold up a bantha pup, if you ask me," Jacen groused. "I think I'll stay here and wait for you."

"If you don't come, you won't be able to bring Tenel Ka back," Jaina pointed out.

Jacen folded his arms across his chest. "I don't believe she's over there, anyway. This is just a waste of time, and a big risk of our lives for nothing."

"Then why did you come?" Luke asked his nephew. "You could have stayed behind, and Leia or Han could have come along, instead." When Jacen refused to answer, Luke persisted, "Are you're afraid that the bridge won't hold you up because you're not Worthy?"

"No! How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not a Sith any longer?"

"Then this is your chance to prove it, Jacen. If you've truly reformed, the bridge will hold you, and you'll demonstrate that you can do something truly unselfish by saving the mother of your child. This is a risk you need to take to prove to me you're telling the truth."

Jacen studied his uncle for a moment. "Why do I have to prove anything to you?"

Luke decided to try a different tact. "Maybe it's not important that you prove yourself to me, but _you_ will show Tenel Ka, and more importantly, Allana, that you are a true Jedi."

"Not to mention Ben and Mara," Jaina added. "If it helps, I'll go first over the bridge."

"Or you could just go between us," Luke suggested. "It might be safer for you that way."

"That won't be necessary," Jacen shot back. "I'm not a coward. I'll go first." He pushed past Luke and nervously placed his foot on the first slat, tugging at the thick rope handles. Slowly, Jacen started out, placing each foot carefully in front of the other, testing each board for its ability to hold his weight.

With each step, Luke felt a bit better about not only the bridge, but Jacen, too. Then, halfway across, the boards under Jacen's feet snapped, and Luke could only watch in horror as his nephew dropped down, grasping desperately at the ropes to stop his fall.

* * *

"I wonder how long this is gonna take," Han said, walking in a tight circle, watching Guinevere holding Allana on her lap while she softly stroked Allana's head and told the girl strange tales of things called dragons that breathed fire. "I can't believe Jaina just left like that. I'm gonna strangle her when she gets back."

"Would you quit pacing?" Leia complained. "You're making me dizzy."

"Aunt Leia?" Ben whispered. "I sense something out there, in the woods."

Leia turned her focus on the woods. "I do too."

"What?" Han prodded. "What do you sense?"

The quiet of the forest was interrupted as three men burst into view, two of them wielding heavy metal swords above their heads, and the other man a strange stick that sent an arc of lightning crackling toward the stunned group.

* * *

Jacen knew he was going to die. His fingertips, slick and aching, were losing their grip on the rope, and as he reached out to the Force for strength, he was stunned to realize it simply wasn't there to access. He was determined that his last thought was going to be of Allana… and he let go…

Then Luke was kneeling over him, catching his wrist and hauling him up, back to the safety of the walkway. "I've got you," the Jedi Master grunted, scrambling away from the gaping hole in the boards.

Back on the catwalk, Jacen was trembling on his hands and knees. Slowly, he raised his head. "You saved me?"

"Of course," Luke responded. "Now, let's stand up. We've still got a way to go before we're safe." The Jedi Master helped his nephew to his feet, then twisted around to look back at Jaina, still standing safely on the rocky ledge. "Wait there until we get to the other side!" Luke yelled back. "I doubt this bridge can hold three at once."

"It couldn't even hold one," Jacen grumbled, allowing Luke to help him jump across the area where the boards had given way. The bridge swayed perilously as the two men slowly walked the remainder of the distance. Finally, they reached the tree-lined edge, and scrambled to safety.

Luke waved Jaina across, his eyes never leaving his niece as she moved without incident across. "I knew this would be fun," Jaina commented as she left the bridge. She fixed her gaze on her brother. "I'm glad to see you made it."

"Thanks to Uncle Luke," Jacen said quietly. He looked into Luke's blue eyes. "That was your chance to get even. Why didn't you take it?"

"Because I'm a Jedi, and Jedi don't 'get even,'" Luke replied. "And because you're my nephew, and I love you."

"After everything I've done? How could you still love me?"

"That's just the way love works, Jacen. I can't explain it."

Jacen blinked back tears, guilt wrenching at his heart and soul. "I can't feel the Force over here. Can you?"

Both Jaina and Luke nodded affirmatively. "It's strange that you can't," Jaina said.

"It will probably come back in a little while," Luke added. "It was wavering in and out for me, too, back in the Mists."

"I wonder how we find our loved ones?" Jaina questioned, focusing on the beautiful green, flower-filled meadow.

Luke smiled and pointed at a narrow path, winding its way through the grass. "Where there's a trail, it usually means someone has made it. Let's see where it goes."

* * *

"Watch out!" Ben shouted, pulling out his lightsaber and igniting the weapon. The lightning bolt was intercepted by Ben's blade with less than a second to spare.

Leia quickly followed Ben's lead, and Han pulled his blaster from his holster. The charging knights swung their shiny blades down, attempting to reach their enemies' necks, but Leia's saber sliced easily through Lanval's sword, and the dangerous part of the weapon thumped harmlessly to the ground.

Meanwhile, Han took careful aim at Lancelot's chest, firing his blaster once and dropping the knight instantly. This action caused Guinevere to run forward, pushing Allana away while screaming Lancelot's name. "Lancelot! My brave, brave Lancelot! I shan't desireth to live without thee!" She dropped to the ground at his side, wailing loudly, while she rocked back and forth, pulling at her hair.

Merlin the Wizard stumbled to a stop, looking frightened and confused.

"Thou hast doomed us," Lanval cried out, dropping to his knees in front of Leia. "Spare this humble knight, and I shall serve thee until the end of all time!"

"I'm pretty sure Jedi aren't allowed to keep slaves," Ben said, grinning widely. "But I can ask my dad just to confirm that."

"Thou art naught but an embarrassment to the Round Table," Merlin complained as he lifted his post. "I shall eliminate these sorcerers alone." The red jewel on the top of the post crackled, and Merlin started chanting, "Orb, thee must seek out and destroyeth all enemies of Camelot! Destroyeth all enemies of Camelot! Destroyeth – "

The shaft was ripped from his grasp, and flew through the air into Leia's hand. "I've heard enough." Leia turned to a still keening Guinevere. "Will you shut up, already? He's not dead." The Princess looked to Han for confirmation. "You _didn't _kill him, did you?"

"No, not that he didn't deserve to die," Han said, retrieving his granddaughter and keeping his blaster trained at the Wizard. "They're all getting under my skin, if you wanna know the truth."

"What shall become of us?" Lanval yelled, looking toward the sky for some divine answer. "Perchance thou shall turn us into frogs!"

"That's a good idea," Han said cheerfully. "Can you do that, sweetheart?"

Leia glared at Han before addressing Lanval and Merlin. "Move over to the cliff wall, where we can keep an eye on you." She watched as Ben and Han helped a recovering Lancelot limp over to the wall with Guinevere, who was still sniffing and hiccupping from her crying jag. "Now this is what is going to happen. You are all going to sit and behave until our family comes back through the Mists. Then you can head back to Camelot, and we'll leave your planet, never to be seen again. Everyone will be happy. Right?"

Lanval sat on the ground, leaning against the base of the cliff. "Shall lovely Jaina remaineth behind?"

"No," Leia stated firmly.

"Jaina is not staying here," Han growled. "It's time to get over it."

"Then I feareth my soul shall forever be incomplete," Lanval whined, dropping his head into his hands in despair.

* * *

Luke, Jaina and a very subdued Jacen followed the path through the beautiful hillside. Wherever this place was, the air was crisp and clear and the scenery breathtaking. They could smell the sweetness of the wildflowers drifting up from their feet, and bright and colorful birds fluttered about, twittering and singing. They came to a halt as the path suddenly divided into three separate trails, the middle one continuing straight while the other two veered off sharply, both right and left.

"Now what?" Jaina asked.

Luke shut his eyes, feeling the Force as it flowed through him. Indeed, the Force seemed stronger and more calming here than anywhere he'd ever been before. "It's not a coincidence there are three of us and three paths. I'll take the middle path, Jaina you go right and Jacen should head left."

"No!" Jacen objected. "I'll go right… or take the middle. Jaina should go left."

"The Force is telling me – "

"You want to send me someplace bad," Jacen interrupted. "Why are you the one deciding?"

"Because, I'm the Jedi Master here," Luke said. "If I had wanted something bad to happen to you, I would have allowed you to fall into the lava."

Jacen backed away from Luke and Jaina. "Those boards were old and rotten! It was just a dumb, wooden bridge! There was no way it could judge me, and accuse me of being wicked! I've told you I'm not a Sith anymore!"

Luke could feel the fear and paranoia roiling like waves off his previously impossible to read nephew. "Calm down, Jacen. It's not that big of a deal. I'll go left, then, and you can take the middle path."

"Uncle Luke," Jaina said. "Why are you pandering to him? If the Force is telling you to send us one direction or the other, we should obey."

"I'll go right," Jacen suddenly decided. "I don't care which direction you two go." He quickly headed off down the right-side path.

Jaina shook her head in disgust. "He might not be a Sith, but he's still a nut-case."

The Jedi Master smiled, and put his hand on Jaina's shoulder. "You go left, Jaina. It's the way the Force wanted you to go in the first place."

"But, why did you say - ?"

"I had a feeling Jacen would object to whatever I suggested."

"Uncle Luke, you're sneaky."

Jaina headed left, and Luke took the middle path.

* * *

Half-an-hour later, Jaina took a brief rest, leaning against a tall tree. She hadn't seen anyone, other than birds and wildlife. "If this is the Land of the Blessed," she said aloud, "then I don't think anyone must be qualified to live here."

"That is a fact," a soft voice spoke from the opposite side of the tree.

Jaina pushed away in surprise, spinning around on one heel. "Tenel Ka?"

"The very same," the woman replied, smiling and stepping toward Jaina. "Considering the dangerous life you led, I'm not very surprised to find you've arrived early."

"I... I'm not dead," Jaina stuttered. "I've come to bring you back to the Land of the Living. But I've got to admit I was expecting to find my brother, Anakin. Maybe Luke was right the first time, and Jacen should have headed left."

Tenel Ka looked startled, and frightened. "Jacen is here?"

"He says he's not a Sith anymore, and he came here to bring you home," Jaina tried to reassure the Hapan. "I just don't know where he is now, precisely."

"What about Allana? Is she okay?"

"She's waiting for us with my mom and dad, on the other side of the Mists." Jaina then noticed something different about Tenel Ka. "Tenel Ka, you have both of your arms."

"Of course. Coming here makes a person whole, in every way." Tenel Ka smiled at Jaina. "This is truly a place of peace and harmony."

"Do you even want to leave here?"

"To be with Allana again will be worth leaving," Tenel Ka said. " Although I do not trust Jacen, I do trust you and Master Luke. Show me the way back, so I can hold my child in both of my arms again."

* * *

Luke sighed and gazed around the small town he'd unexpectedly come upon. The houses were all neat, all the lawns perfectly tidy. He could sense this place was teaming with life, yet he couldn't see anyone. It was frustrating. "Hello? Is anyone here?" He swore he heard a footstep, and turned to look down the narrow street. In the distance he could see the figure of a man, standing perfectly still. Luke quickly headed in the stranger's direction, and when he got a bit closer thought it was Jacen. "Jacen? Why are you here? You were supposed to go down a different path."

"I'm not Jacen," the young man replied.

"Anakin!?" Luke yelled, his emotions quickly overwhelming him. He ran the next few steps throwing his arms around his nephew. "I've found you."

"So you have," Anakin replied, taking a step back and looking Luke over. "You've gotten a bit older, Uncle."

Luke brushed a tear back. "And you haven't changed a bit."

"That happens here."

"Where is everyone? Have you seen Mara? We've come to bring you back home."

"Aunt Mara is here. It took her a long time to accept who sent her to the Other Side." A look of sadness passed over Anakin's features. "Jacen turned to the darkside." It wasn't a question, either.

"He did, but he's come back to the light side."

"Are you certain?"

The question caused Luke to pause. "I think he has. He's risked his life to come bring Tenel Ka back. A Sith wouldn't do that."

Anakin shrugged. "A Sith feels love, Uncle Luke, but the good part of love is overridden with insecurity and the desire to possess. I hope you're right about Jacen. He's my brother, and I love him."

"Do you want to come back?" Luke asked.

"It's nice here," Anakin replied. "But it will always be waiting for me to return. So yes, I'd like to come home."

* * *

Jacen came upon a small pond, and floating in the middle of the pond was a row boat. He could see a woman sitting alone in the boat, her head covered up with a brightly colored yellow and green scarf, a glint of red hair peeking out from the cloth. "Tenel Ka!"

The woman's head tilted up at the sound of his voice, and the boat moved effortlessly and silently across the still water in the direction of a dock. Jacen hurried toward the dock to meet the boat as it pulled up, and the woman stood and stepped out. She reached up and pushed the scarf off her head. Halfway down the dock, Jacen stumbled to a stop, letting out a gasp upon seeing the woman's face. Green eyes scornfully burned into his very soul, and Jacen backed up, his heart pounding.

"Mara!"

"Jacen Solo," Mara Jade Skywalker stated evenly. "Or should I address you as Darth Caedus?"


	10. Chapter 10

"I've renounced the dark side," Jacen responded nervously, reaching for the lightsaber on his belt.

"Is that why you intend to attack me?"

Jacen quickly pointed the dangerous part of the hilt toward Mara and attempted to turn the weapon on, but there was no response. Startled, Jacen shook the weapon, and pressed the button a second time. Mara laughed, and held out her hand. Jacen could only watch as his lightsaber soared through the air and into Mara's waiting hand.

"Weapons don't work here, Jacen. But that action proves to me you haven't changed."

"I… I only was trying to protect myself," Jacen protested. "You're the one that attacked me before. Unprovoked, I'd like to add."

Mara's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Unprovoked? You were trying to turn my child into a Sith! You were toying with the idea of killing him as some type of sick sacrifice!"

"How.. do you know that?"

"Becoming One with the Force gives a person a lot of insight," Mara replied.

"Are you planning on killing me?" Jacen asked worriedly, then decided to try and distract Mara. "Uncle Luke is here. Somewhere."

"Yes, I know that. Jaina is here, too. Luke still believes there is good in you. I guess once a naïve farmboy, always a naïve farmboy. I won't kill you because I _can't_ kill you. Not here, Jacen, and not now. But once we get back to the living, breathing world, all bets are off." She tilted her head, listening to a sound Jacen couldn't hear. "The gateway through the Mists is open, and Luke is waiting for me." She turned on her heel, and still holding Jacen's lightsaber, took off down the path without looking back.

* * *

"Tell me," Merlin said to Leia, his voice silky. "From whence dost thou truly hail?"

"Far, far away," Leia replied, her gaze flickering toward the opening in the rock, and then down to Allana, who was busy stacking up a small pile of rocks into a pyramid shape.

"Thy powers be impressive. Perchance thee whilst takest me as thy apprentice?"

Ben snorted. "You're way too old to become Aunt Leia's padawan."

"Not to mention you're crazy," Han added.

"Old and crazy, thou sayest?" Merlin asked, waving his hand slightly. The rocks in the pile by Allana flew upward, striking the young girl in her face.

Allana let loose with a screech, and quickly attempted to use her hands to block further blows. Han and Leia both rushed toward their distressed grandchild, and Merlin used the distraction to jump to his feet and snatch up his staff.

"Take heart, brave Knights of the Roundtable!" Merlin cried out. "I shall returneth with King Arthur's entire army at my side to rescue thee!" He waved his wand, and disappeared into a puff of hazy red smoke.

Han twisted around, pointing his blaster at the befuddled knights and Guinevere. "Where did he go?"

"Back to Camelot," Lancelot replied. "Thy hours art few in number, Han Solo of Corellia."

Leia wiped the dirt off Allana's face, and gently dried the tears from her cheeks. Thankfully, the child only had a few minor cuts from the rocks on her forehead. "You just had to go and insult the Wizard, didn't you, Han?"

"Hey! Ben was the one that called the crazy guy 'old,'" Han protested. "That's what made him mad."

"And you'd rather be called crazy than old any day, right?"

"Absolutely."

"If he's really coming back with an entire army, I hope Dad hurries up," Ben said worriedly.

* * *

When Mara got close to the canyon, she could see two men standing near the edge. The younger one was Anakin Solo, but her eyes could not tear away from the older man. "LUKE!"

The Jedi Master broke into a run, and caught up his wife in a crushing hug. "Mara… my Mara…" he mumbled over and over into her hair. "My love… " Luke's words choked off into a sob. "I can't believe I'm holding you in my arms again."

"I knew if there was a way to find me, you'd do it," Mara whispered. "We'll never be apart, ever again."

As he watched his aunt and uncle reunite, Anakin smiled in relief. Neither one was complete without the other. His gaze moved away, and toward the man walking in his direction. He waited until Jacen got closer before he spoke, "Hello, Brother. It's been a long time."

"Yeah," Jacen could only manage to say. His vocal chords didn't seem to be cooperating.

"Our grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, has been watching you," Anakin continued. "You've been breaking his heart. You've been breaking a lot of hearts, Jacen."

"But I'm here," Jacen whispered. "I'm here to put things right. Back the way they're supposed to be."

"Nothing you can do will ever put things right," Anakin said. "It's too late for the vast majority of people you've killed, and the lives you've destroyed." He turned when two more people approached down the path. "Jaina and Tenel Ka have arrived." He ran to hug his sister, and left Jacen to face Tenel Ka alone.

The Hapan walked slowly and deliberately up to the man she'd once loved. "Jacen. I'm surprised to see you."

"Not.. happy?"

"I will be happy when I see Allana, and not a moment before."

Jacen looked accusingly at Luke. "You picked the wrong paths for us to take."

"No, he didn't," Anakin replied. "Uncle Luke has spent years feeling guilt over my death. He needed to be the one to find me, to bring an end to his grief and remorse. That's why the Force sent him down that particular path."

"And I would not have been pleased to see you, Jacen," Tenel Ka said. "Meeting Jaina before I saw you gave me time to compose myself. Our reunion would not have been the pleasant vision you had in mind, and that is a fact."

"It also goes without saying that you and Mara had issues to resolve," Jaina said.

Jacen pointed his finger accusingly at Mara. "She intends to kill me when we get back to the real world."

"Your behavior will dictate my actions," Mara replied calmly.

"We still need to get back through the Mists," Luke told the group. "We have to figure out the gifts the Lady of the Lake wants."

"That's right," Jacen said. "Maybe this was all a waste of time. We don't have a clue what this Lady wants. We might not be able to take them back with us at all."

"The Lady is merely a visual representation of the Force," Tenel Ka told him as she smiled sadly. "The gifts must come from you, Jacen."

"I… I don't understand."

Mara broke away from Luke's tight hold. "Then I'll explain the rules, Jacen. It's your turn to make the sacrifices that truly matter. If you want to show the galaxy and the Force you deserve a second chance, this is your one and only opportunity. In order for me to cross the bridge and go through the portal, you have to stay here, on this planet, until the end of your natural life. The price the Lady demands for my life is a home in the sky. _Your_ home in the sky. Never again will you travel through the stars. It's the gift you need to give up for me."

"And as for me," Anakin said, stepping toward Jacen, "The gift will be your ability to access the Force. Even when you get back through the Mists, your connection will remain severed until your final journey back here. And even then, the only way it will return is if you live a life of penitence, helping others whenever you have the chance, and never putting your own needs before others."

Tenel Ka nodded, and took Jacen's trembling hands in her own. "My way back is your heart, Jacen. You've built up a wall around your heart, making it like stone. That heart of stone must soften. You will always remember me, and the daughter we had together. But you will never see us again, or know what becomes of us. And that will break your heart for the rest of your life, and cause you deep pain. Am I worth endless heartache, Jacen?"

"It's not fair," Jacen said softly. "Why do I have to be the one to give up everything?"

"Because you took everything," Luke replied. "And now it's time to give back, even if it costs you everything you care about."

Jacen stepped away from the group, and looked across the wooden bridge, to the far side where the Mists and Cecil waited.

"What's your answer?" Jaina asked quietly as she came up behind her twin. "Are you still a Sith, or not?"

Jacen dropped to his knees, and hung his head. "What choice do I have?"

"You can always refuse," Anakin replied. "Things will just remain the way they were before you took the journey through the portal. Of course, Uncle Luke and Jaina will have to stay here, too, so you might want to take that into consideration."

"I wouldn't care for that a bit," Mara put in. "Ben needs one of his parents."

"What about me?" Jacen questioned. "Could I go back?"

"You can't stay in this place," Anakin answered. "You haven't earned the right to stay. You'd have to journey back across the bridge, and hope it holds up. Uncle Luke wouldn't be able to rescue you again if you fell."

Tenel Ka knelt down beside Jacen. "Think about this. If you return to our galaxy, you will surely be held accountable for everything you've done. Will a life spent in prison, or a death sentence imposed by either a government or the Mandalorians be better?" When Jacen didn't reply, Tenel Ka continued, "The life you make here can be a good one, Jacen, although it won't be easy. Many people live on this planet. You can find love among the humans here and build a home and have a family."

Jacen looked up at Tenel Ka. "You and Allana are my family."

"Either way, you won't have us, Jacen."

"I, I guess you're right," Jacen said dully as he stood up. "I'll agree to these so-called gifts."

Luke smiled, and helped his nephew to his feet. "Come on. I'll lead the way across the bridge this time. Mara will follow me, then Jacen, Tenel Ka, Anakin, and Jaina can bring up the rear." He looked at his solemn-faced family. "Are we ready?"

They nodded in agreement, and carefully walked the bridge, one at a time. This time there were no incidents, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when Jaina's last foot reached solid ground. Cecil woofed, and bobbed her long neck.

"We have to hurry," Luke said. "There's trouble beyond the Mists."

* * *

Han glanced at his chrono, then frowned toward the passageway. "What's taking them so long?"

"They haven't been gone all that long," Leia pointed out.

"That crazy old wizard has been gone for over two hours now."

Ben bit his lower lip. "Aunt Leia? I'm sensing trouble."

"Hey, kid," Han said. "I can sense trouble, and I'm not even a Jedi."

"He's right," Leia told Han. "I can feel a large group of angry people headed this way, and Merlin's in the lead."

"Verily," Lancelot said, tilting up his chin and smirking. "We shall see if three of thee canst standeth against all of Arthur's vast army."

"King Arthur may yet show mercy, if thou see fit to alloweth us our freedom," Guinevere stated. "I promise to speaketh in thy favor."

Leia considered the Queen's words. "Alright. I can't see any reason why not."

"What?" Han protested. "She's our insurance against a full scale assault!"

"I have to agree with Uncle Han this time," Ben said. "They'll be less likely to attack us if they're afraid of harming their Queen."

"I'd prefer it if they decided not to attack us at all," Leia said. "If we show them we mean them no harm by returning their Queen, it seems there might be a good possibility they'll just turn around and go back to their village."

"You need to stop seeing the sunny side of every situation, sweetheart."

Leia laughed, and waved at the two knights and the Queen. "Get up, and go meet up with King Arthur's army. Tell them we're leaving as soon as our family gets back, and we won't be causing any more problems."

Lancelot hurriedly pulled Guinevere to her feet. "Surely we shall endeavor to convince the King's army of thy kindhearted generosity." He took the Queen's hand and started to rush away, then paused and turned to Lanval, who hadn't budged. "Why dost thou linger?"

"Stayeth behind I shall, and ensure they keepeth their word and art truly removed from Camelot," Lanval declared.

"Tis naught thy true reason!" Lancelot cried out. "Thou stayeth behind to continue thy vain quest to woo fair Jaina!"

"I say naught of _thy_ ill-conceived affair of the heart," Lanval shot back hotly. "Now departeth, or surely I shall find the King's ear."

Lancelot glared at his former friend. "Tis thy dirge." With that last threat, he hustled away with Queen Guinevere.

"Jaina is _not_ gonna marry you," Han said with a tired sigh. "You should've gone with your buddy."

"Know not I what this 'buddy' tis that thou speaketh, only knowest that I must lay mine eyes upon the vision that be sweet Jaina once more."

"Poor Jaina," Ben muttered under his breath.

No sooner had Lancelot and Guinevere disappeared into the woods, when Cecil appeared through the misty corridor, followed by Luke and Mara.

"MOM!" Ben screamed, throwing himself at his mother.

Leia wrapped her arms around her stomach, watching with wide eyes as Jacen emerged. Tenel Ka was right behind him, and she wasted no time locating her child, covering her daughter with kisses. Anakin Solo came through next, with Jaina on his heels.

"Anakin…" Leia gasped. Her head was spinning and she was barely aware of Han's arm tightening around her. "Anakin…"

"My boy," Han croaked out.

The long-lost son embraced his parents, trying to soothe their broken sobs. "It's okay," he said softly.

"No, it's not," Han said, wiping his eyes. "I never had the chance to make up for my behavior .."

"Dad, I knew you loved me," Anakin interrupted. "It's time to stop beating yourself up for the mistakes of the past."

Han nodded. "We're all together again. That's all that matters."

"What about the gifts?" Leia questioned. "Has anyone figured out what we need to take to the Lady of the Lake?"

"That's been all taken care of," Mara answered. "Right, Jacen?"

"What does that mean?" Han demanded to know.

"We'll explain, but not right now," Luke said. "I can sense a great many people coming our way, and they feel pretty determined."

Cecil barked, and nuzzled Jacen's arm. His twin sister smiled. "Cecil is willing to take care of you, Jacen. She'll protect you and keep you safe until you can adjust to this life."

"This life?" Han repeated, blinking in confusion. "You'd better explain, and right now!"

"The gifts for returning everyone back to the living were from Jacen," Luke said. "He needed to give up the Force, his family, and the means to travel among the stars."

"He can't stay here, all alone," Leia protested. "This is a violent society!"

"Is it any more violent than our galaxy, with its endless wars?" Tenel Ka asked Leia. "I believe Jacen will actually be safer here, far away from those that hate him and seek revenge."

Jacen nodded, kissing Allana's head. "You'd better get going. I'll make a noise to distract the army, and give you a good head start to your ships."

"I guess I was wrong," Mara said, holding out her hand to the man that had killed her. "You've proven that you're no longer a Sith."

He took her hand in gratitude. "I still have a way to go to atone for my life, and have the Force returned to me."

"You'll do it," Mara said, truly believing her words.

"Thank you for not killing me when we got back through the portal."

Mara laughed, and held out his lightsaber as she returned the weapon. "Consider it my gift to you - an act of mercy, Jacen."

"Even I don't hate you anymore, Jacen," Ben added. "I truly hope your life turns out good on this planet."

"Hate is of the darkside, Ben," Jacen said, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "Listen to your father. He's a wise Jedi, and someday you'll be just as great as he is now."

Han stepped toward his older son. "I didn't mean to exchange one son for the other when I came here."

"You believed in me, Dad," Jacen said, swallowing to keep the lump down. "When no one else believed, you did."

"My faith in you was justified."

The Princess gave Jacen a tight hug, tears coursing down her cheeks. "I love you. Be safe."

"We'd better go," Luke warned. "We don't have much time to get to our ships before they arrive."

Mara nodded her agreement, and watched as Luke gave Jacen one last hug. Then the three Skywalkers headed toward the _Jade Shadow_, and the Solo family started toward the hiding place of the _Millennium Falcon._

"Jaina!" Lanval shouted as they started to leave. "I shan't imagine life without thee!"

The young woman smiled and stepped toward the love-sick knight. "I'll miss you, too, Lanval. If you want to make me happy, I'd appreciate it if you hung around my brother, and helped keep him safe."

"Jaina…" Jacen warned, his face growing concerned.

Lanval's face, however, lit up. "Truly? Then I shall follow Jacen of Coruscant to the ends of Earth, all the rest of my days to protect him from all evil!"

"Swell," Jacen muttered, watching as Jaina hurried to catch up to the rest of the family. Then the people he loved disappeared from his sight over a hilltop.

"Depart we shall, before yon army draweth nigh," Lanval told Jacen. "If thou trusteth me, I shall taketh thee to safe and far off lands to the south."

"What's the name of this land?" Jacen asked as the armored knight thunked noisily after him and Cecil.

"They calleth yon country Greece," Lanval replied. "Many tell strange tales about these parts."

"Sounds like my kind of place," Jacen said, as they headed south.

**THE END**


End file.
